Sylvia is a nine-year-old girl who recently moved from a crowded manufacturing town to live with her grandmother in rural Maine. Deeply shy and afraid of people, she finds profound comfort and connection in the natural world. She knows every inch of the local woods and counts the wild animals as her friends, displaying a quiet, observant disposition that thrives in isolation.

A confident, well-educated young man who collects and stuffs rare birds. He becomes lost in the Maine woods while searching for the elusive white heron and secures lodging at the Tilley farm. Extroverted and goal-oriented, he fails to recognize the hypocrisy of killing the creatures he claims to admire, viewing the forest primarily as a resource for scientific collection.

Mrs. Tilley is Sylvia's hardworking and hospitable grandmother. Having recognized that city life did not suit her timid granddaughter, she brought Sylvia to live on her coastal Maine farm to assist with chores. She is a generous, practical woman who speaks in a regional dialect and maintains a deep loyalty to her family.

The massive pine tree functions as a sentient, watchful entity within the Maine forest. Standing taller than all other flora, it harbors ancient wisdom and actively protects those who respect its boughs. The tree offers a towering vantage point over the marshes, woodlands, and the distant sea.

A rare, majestic bird with soft white feathers and long, thin legs living in the coastal marshes of Maine. Hunted for its plumage, the heron carefully guards its nest hidden among the green swamp grass and hemlocks. It moves through the wilderness with a quiet, untouched grace.

Mistress Moolly is the Tilley family's pet cow. She possesses enough intelligence to stand perfectly still so her bell does not ring when she wishes to hide in the huckleberry bushes. Despite her mischievous wandering, she walks affectionately homeward with Sylvia when it is time to be milked.

Dan is Mrs. Tilley's son who now lives in California. During his youth in Maine, he spent his time hunting partridges and squirrels in the local woods. Mrs. Tilley often notes that Sylvia takes after him in her deep knowledge of the land and connection to the local wildlife.

She is Mrs. Tilley's daughter who currently resides in a crowded manufacturing town. She relies on Mrs. Tilley to raise her timid daughter in a more suitable environment while reducing the number of mouths to feed in the city.