George is a sensitive ten-year-old fourth grader who was assigned male at birth but knows she is a girl. She secretly calls herself Melissa when looking in the mirror. She has pale skin, freckles, and bright green eyes. Fearing the onset of male puberty, she desperately wants the world to see her true identity, starting with her ambition to play the female spider in the school production of *Charlotte's Web*.

Kelly is George/Melissa's extroverted and theatrical best friend. She has light brown skin, wears her hair in braids, and often dresses in pants and slogan t-shirts despite owning feminine clothes. As an aspiring photographer, she encourages her friend to audition for the play, initially believing the goal is just an artistic acting challenge rather than an expression of true identity.

Mom is a tall, beautiful woman with bright green eyes who prefers jeans to skirts and does not wear makeup. She raises her two children in a single-parent household. She loves her family deeply but holds traditional assumptions about gender, struggling to comprehend the signs of her younger child's true identity.

Scott is George/Melissa's older teenage brother. He has a mop of dark brown curls, plays violent video games, and occasionally mocks his younger sibling. Despite his typical teenage crudeness, he maintains a straightforward approach to life.

Ms. Udell is a formally spoken teacher who wears her shiny black hair in a loose bun and wooden earrings. She organizes the school play and genuinely cares about her students' wellbeing. However, her reliance on traditional gender roles causes her to completely misinterpret George/Melissa's emotional sensitivity.

Jeff is a tall, spiky-haired student recently relocated from California. He acts as the primary class bully, displaying an aggressive, prejudiced attitude toward anyone who does not conform to his strict ideas of normal behavior.

George's Dad is the absent father of Scott and George/Melissa. He remarried a woman named Fiona and only sees his children during summer visits, acting more as a part-time parent.

Principal Maldonado is a confident, fat woman with short gray hair who wears a turquoise necklace over a black turtleneck. She manages the school firmly but fairly, striving to maintain an environment that supports all students.

Rick is a fourth-grade student who acts as a sidekick to the class bully. He follows Jeff's lead in teasing others but possesses less inherent aggression than his friend.

Paul is Kelly's musician father. He encourages his daughter's artistic pursuits and speaks casually about gender and art, though his attempts at humor sometimes cause unintended discomfort.

Uncle Bill is Kelly's relative who helps facilitate her weekend outings. He maintains a casual, unquestioning attitude toward his niece's friends.