Stargirl: Chapter 20 Summary & Analysis

Stargirl wins the district oratorical contest and is now preparing for the state finals in Phoenix in April. She often practices in front of Leo and Cinnamon in the desert. She and Leo also take walks, ride bikes, and talk. Leo thinks of Stargirl as “bendable light: she shone around every corner of my day.” Stargirl teaches Leo to see things like she does, always tugging his arm and saying, “Look!”

Often, the things Stargirl points out are ordinary to Leo’s eyes—an old man sitting on a bench, or ants on the sidewalk. Stargirl sees with her heart, too—often moved to tears or laughter. The more Leo sees the specialness of what she sees, the more his own ability to notice things grows. Stargirl says that if it were up to her, things like ants and old men would be headline news, while crime would be on page 10.

Leo also learns about Stargirl’s secret missions. One day they leave a potted African violet outside the home of someone who’s in the hospital. Leo notices that Stargirl doesn’t leave a note with her name. Suddenly, he slams his bike to a stop, remembering the porcupine necktie that was left on his doorstep two years ago. He realizes it was a gift from Stargirl. Stargirl explains that her mother made the tie. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to her, and she doesn’t seem to desire credit for the gesture.