Laurie is a young boy just transitioning from a sweet-voiced nursery-school tot into a swaggering kindergartener. He adjusts to his new school environment while exhibiting increasingly disrespectful behavior at home. He speaks insolently to his parents, insults his father, and spills his baby sister's milk. He eagerly commands his parents' attention at the dinner table by sharing daily updates about his classmate Charles.

Charles is a larger-than-average kindergartener in Laurie's class who consistently refuses to wear a jacket. He is known for his highly disruptive and physical behavior at school. According to Laurie, Charles hits the teacher, throws chalk, and injures other classmates. His daily antics become a regular topic of conversation and a morbid fascination for Laurie's family.

The narrator is a stay-at-home mother who cares for her infant daughter and manages the household. She harbors a nostalgic view of her son's toddler years and struggles to address his new, rougher attitude. She becomes deeply invested in the daily stories of Charles's misbehavior, growing highly curious about the boy's home life and eager to meet his mother at the Parent-Teachers meeting.

Laurie's father takes a hands-off approach to parenting. He remains largely unreactive when his son acts out or directly insults him at the dinner table. He views schoolyard roughness as a normal, unavoidable part of life, philosophizing that Laurie is bound to meet difficult people like Charles eventually.

The kindergarten teacher leads Laurie's class and attempts to maintain order among the young children. She handles classroom disruptions through traditional mid-century disciplinary methods. She spanks misbehaving children, washes mouths out with soap, and revokes blackboard privileges to maintain control.

Laurie's infant sister remains at home with her mother. She requires constant care and occasionally falls ill. Her minor illnesses sometimes restrict her mother's ability to attend evening school events.