87 pages • 2 hours read
Fish in a Tree
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Chapters 21-25Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 21 Summary: “Butterfly Wishes”
Shay has a birthday party at the butterfly house and invites everyone in the class (at her mother’s command). Keisha’s family is visiting her grandmother and Albert destroys his invitation before his parents see it, so Ally is forced to attend without her real friends.
At the butterfly house, the butterflies are attracted to Ally’s bright orange shirt, and many fly toward her. Ally remembers a story Albert told her about the Native American belief that butterflies grant wishes. Without thinking, Ally reflexively snatches at a butterfly, hoping her wishes will be granted. The butterfly drifts to the ground, and the tour guide carries it away, worried for the butterfly’s safety but relieved that Ally didn’t tear its wing.
Chapter 22 Summary: “No Way to Treat a Queen”
Still worried about the butterfly from Shay’s birthday party, Ally asks Albert if touching a butterfly’s wings injures the butterfly. Albert confirms that this is a common misconception, saying that the butterfly won’t be hurt unless its wing is torn.
Shay makes fun of Albert’s shirt and claims her own purple sweater is the color of royalty. Albert explains that in medieval times, royals dyed their garments purple using the slime of thousands of snails. Shay reacts with disgust.
Chapter 23 Summary: “Words That Breathe”
During a vocabulary lesson, Mr. Daniels asks his students to define the difference between “alone” and “lonely.” Ally explains that “alone is a way to be. It’s being by yourself with no one else around. And it can be good or bad. And it can be a choice” (123). Being lonely, however, “is never a choice […] You can feel lonely when you’re alone, but the worst kind of lonely is when you’re in a room full of people, but you’re still alone” (124). Mr. Daniels is impressed by the depth and maturity of her explanation.
Chapter 24 Summary: “Imaginary Hero”
Mr. Daniels has the students to present on an imaginary person they consider to be their hero. Ally invents a hero named Roy G. Biv for all the colors in the rainbow. She illustrates Roy G. Biv’s powers by spinning a color wheel, explaining that the color white is a mixture of all the colors. Ally’s fellow students—including Jessica and Max—are impressed by her presentation.
Ally overhears Jessica asking Shay if she can have another friendship bracelet. Shay tells Jessica she owes her money for some of the bracelets she has already. Ally is stunned that Shay would make Jessica pay for someone that is supposed to be an expression of friendship. She then realizes the true value of her friendships with Keisha and Albert.
Chapter 25 Summary: “Celebration or Devastation”
Mr. Daniels presents Ally with the classroom’s Fantastico Poetry award for a short poem she wrote. The award includes a printed certificate and a coupon for free ice cream in the cafeteria. Ally thinks about how happy Albert would be to receive such a coupon and feels awkward accepting the award.
Ally believes numerous other students are more deserving of the award than she is. She flees from the room, telling herself, “This isn’t a poetry award. This is a pity award” (136).
Chapters 21-25 Analysis
The butterfly at Shay’s party serves as a visual metaphor. Ally injures the butterfly in her impatient desire to have a wish come true, suggesting that wishes can’t be granted with quick, desperate grasps, but must be attained as the result of prolonged, concentrated work.
Ally does work hard, and she begins to shine in class. With her creative explanation of “lonely” versus “alone” and her inspired Roy G. Biv presentation, Ally demonstrates how her differences can be used as advantages. Mr. Daniels recognizes her efforts, offering verbal praise and—ultimately—a poetry award. Because she is so used to receiving criticism, however, Ally doesn’t know how to respond to his praise and assumes it is not genuine, but delivered out of pity.
Ally’s friendship with Albert grows. Albert demonstrates to Ally that she can fight back against harsh bullies like Shay using her unique intelligence (as with his joke about royal purple and snail slime). Albert grows in his own self-confidence as a result of his friendship with Ally. The opportunity to defend his friend against Shay teaches Albert the value of standing up for himself.
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By Lynda Mullaly Hunt
