Sara is George’s wife and Julia’s mother; she never appears in person in the novel. She’s been sick for several years with a chronic illness and, according to George, doesn’t seem to be getting much better. Before she got sick, she used to help George clean the mall at night. After Ivan, Ruby, and the other animals leave the Big Top Mall, Bob goes to live with Sara and George to keep Sara company.
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Sara Character Timeline in The One and Only Ivan
The timeline below shows where the character Sara appears in The One and Only Ivan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
gone—the beetle
...sit with him. Ivan thinks that this is because they both love drawing. Julia’s mother, Sara, used to help clean the mall, but she stopped coming when she got sick. Now,...
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...Then, Mack asks Julia what she’s drawing. Julia explains that it’s a flying dog for Sara, since she likes airplanes and dogs. Mack makes a noncommittal noise and then asks George...
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the next morning—photo
...Bob is a “survivor.” Julia suggests that Bob could come live with them and keep Sara company. She’d pay for him with her dog-walking money, but George says no. Julia nods...
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leaving—mighty silverback
...food—all of them poodles. Ivan notes that Bob didn’t want a home, but Bob says Sara likes him. He figures he’s doing Julia’s family a favor. At this point, Julia shoves...
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