The Chinese boy, Ping, has returned to Green Knowe alone to stay with Mrs. Oldknow. At the zoo, he is fascinated by the giant gorilla Hanno, with whom he as a refugee feels a powerful bond. After Hanno escapes from the zoo, Ping befriends him. The early chapters of the book detail Hanno's life as a young gorilla in Africa and the trauma and cruelty of his capture with great compassion and finesse. A Stranger At Green Knowe was awarded the 1961 Carnegie Medal in Literature.