Chapter 25 Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens in Mrs. Turner's classroom, where she teaches math and reads aloud from The One and Only Ivan, a story about a gorilla kept in a mall where people constantly stare at him. Knox immediately connects with the gorilla's experience, feeling similarly exposed and observed. Mrs. Turner checks in to make sure Knox is following along, and Christopher helps too—whenever Knox doesn't understand something or can't find what he needs, Christopher writes the information on Post-it notes so Knox won't forget. Knox has a supply of Post-its from Mom, so he's well equipped. By the time recess arrives, Knox has earned five minutes of free tablet time for his efforts.
On the playground, Knox carries his soccer ball and follows Christopher and the other kids. Mrs. Turner warns him not to kick the ball over the fence because there's a creek just beyond it. Knox promises he won't—he only wants to kick the ball around with Christopher. But before he gets the chance, one of the kids tags Christopher and declares him it. Christopher groans and says he doesn't want to play coronavirus tag. The other kids insist he has to play because he's the virus, but Christopher firmly refuses. Despite his refusal, the kids run away from him, screaming that Christopher has the virus.
Christopher kneels down and curls himself into a ball on the ground. Knox offers to let Christopher tag him instead, but Christopher says it's okay. When Christopher won't tag him, Knox bumps into Christopher himself and declares that he's it now. He runs around the playground with his arms outstretched, shouting that he's it. But some of the kids still keep running away from Christopher.
Desperate to redirect their attention, Knox blurts out that he's from Hong Kong and has actually been right near the virus. This gets the kids' attention. Christopher gestures wildly, apparently shocked that Knox would reveal this—though Knox insists he's telling the truth. Tyler asks Knox if he's Asian. Knox acknowledges that he doesn't look it—his brother looks much more like Mom than he and Lea do, and they look more like caramel-swirl ice cream cones—but he insists that having sandy hair and light skin doesn't change the fact that he's Asian.
The other kids start running and screaming that Knox is it as the recess bell rings. Back in the classroom, Knox looks timidly at Christopher, worried that now that Christopher knows he's from Hong Kong, he won't want to sit next to him. Knox says he would understand if Christopher didn't. Instead, Christopher walks over, takes a seat beside Knox, and squeezes Knox's green apple squishy toy, his eyes smiling at Knox.
Key Events
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Mrs. Turner reads from The One and Only Ivan, and Knox identifies with the gorilla's experience of being stared at.
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Christopher supports Knox by writing down things he doesn't understand on Post-it notes.
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At recess, kids start a game of coronavirus tag and target Christopher as the virus.
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Christopher refuses to play and curls into a ball on the ground.
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Knox bumps into Christopher and declares himself it to protect his friend.
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When some kids still avoid Christopher, Knox reveals he's from Hong Kong and has been near the virus.
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Tyler asks if Knox is Asian; Knox affirms his Asian identity despite his appearance.
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The kids redirect their fear toward Knox, screaming that he's it as recess ends.
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Back in class, Christopher chooses to sit beside Knox and squeezes his squishy toy, signaling acceptance.
Character Development
Knox shows significant growth in this chapter. He moves from feeling like a gorilla in a mall—passive, observed, and vulnerable—to actively taking on the stigma himself. When Christopher is targeted, Knox doesn't hesitate to claim the it label, first by bumping into Christopher and declaring himself it, and then by revealing his Hong Kong connection to draw the other kids' attention away from Christopher. This is a deliberate act of courage: Knox knows exactly what he's doing when he redirects the stigma toward himself. His worry afterward—that Christopher might not want to sit with him now that he knows Knox is from Hong Kong—shows how much he values this friendship and how aware he is of the stigma attached to his own identity.
Christopher demonstrates quiet loyalty. He refuses to participate in the cruel game, and when Knox reveals his Hong Kong background, Christopher's reaction is not rejection but acceptance. His choice to sit beside Knox and squeeze his squishy toy is a small but meaningful gesture of friendship that reassures Knox.
Mrs. Turner appears as a supportive teacher figure, making sure Knox follows along in class and warning him about the creek near the playground fence.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Otherness and the gorilla metaphor: Knox explicitly connects his own experience to the gorilla in The One and Only Ivan—a creature on display, stared at by others. This metaphor frames the chapter's central conflict: Knox feels like an outsider, and the playground game makes that otherness literal.
Pandemic stigma and anti-Asian prejudice: The coronavirus tag game shows how the pandemic has been turned into a playground weapon. The kids assign the virus to Christopher arbitrarily, and when Knox reveals his Hong Kong connection, the stigma transfers to him. Tyler's question—whether Knox is Asian—reveals the assumption that Asian identity is visible, and Knox's response challenges that assumption.
Identity and appearance: Knox's reflection on his sandy hair and light skin versus his Asian identity is a key moment. He insists that his appearance doesn't change who he is, even as the other kids' reactions show how appearance shapes how people are treated.
Friendship and courage: Knox's willingness to take on the stigma himself is an act of friendship that requires real bravery. Christopher's quiet acceptance at the end mirrors that loyalty.
Post-it notes as support: The Post-it notes Christopher writes for Knox are a small but concrete symbol of care—someone helping Knox navigate a world that doesn't always make sense to him.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Knox's sense of identity and belonging. It's the first time he explicitly claims his Asian identity out loud, and he does so in a way that puts him at risk—he knows the stigma attached to being from Hong Kong during the pandemic, and he reveals it anyway to protect Christopher. The chapter also shows the cruelty of pandemic-era prejudice as it plays out among children, and it demonstrates how friendship can be a source of strength in the face of that cruelty. Christopher's final gesture—sitting beside Knox and squeezing his squishy toy—offers a quiet, hopeful note: acceptance is possible even when the world around them is unkind.
Study Questions
1. Why does Knox reveal that he's from Hong Kong, and what does this reveal about his character?
Knox reveals his Hong Kong connection to redirect the other kids' attention away from Christopher. He's willing to take on the stigma himself—the very stigma he's been trying to avoid—because he cares more about protecting his friend than about his own safety. This shows courage, selflessness, and a growing willingness to own his identity even when it makes him vulnerable.
2. How does the gorilla metaphor from The One and Only Ivan connect to Knox's experience in this chapter?
Knox says he feels like a gorilla in a mall—observed, stared at, and treated as different. The playground scene makes this metaphor literal: the kids single out Christopher and then Knox as the virus, treating them as threats to be avoided. The metaphor also connects to Knox's broader experience as an Asian child during the pandemic, feeling like he's on display and judged by others.
3. What does Christopher's decision to sit beside Knox at the end of the chapter signify?
Christopher's choice to sit beside Knox and squeeze his squishy toy is a gesture of acceptance and friendship. After hearing that Knox is from Hong Kong, Christopher could have distanced himself, but instead he moves closer. The squishy toy squeeze is a small, tactile gesture of connection that reassures Knox that their friendship isn't damaged by what he revealed.
Navigation
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