Kim Hà is a spirited ten-year-old girl living in Saigon with her mother and three older brothers. She is observant and competitive, proudly tending to a papaya tree in her backyard. As the Vietnam War encroaches on her home, she faces the frightening prospect of leaving behind everything she knows. She has a difficult time transitioning to life in the United States due to the language barrier and unfamiliar social dynamics.

Mother works as a secretary and takes on extra sewing jobs to provide for her four children in war-torn Saigon. She bears the heavy responsibility of deciding whether to flee Vietnam to secure a better future for her children. She relies on traditional chanting and prayer to maintain her composure. She holds out hope that her missing husband will eventually return to them.

Brother Quang is twenty-one years old and the eldest sibling in the family. He studies engineering in college and speaks English well. His language skills become vital when the family emigrates, as he often acts as their translator. He takes a job as a car mechanic when they arrive in Alabama to support the household.

Brother Vũ is an eighteen-year-old boy with a deep admiration for Bruce Lee and martial arts. He focuses heavily on physical fitness and cooking. During their time in the refugee camps, he helps in the kitchens and protects his family in crowded spaces. In America, he asks people to call him "Vũ Lee" and teaches self-defense to the neighborhood kids.

Brother Khôi is a fourteen-year-old boy who has a deep affection for animals. He raises a hen and is fiercely protective of the chick it hatches, wanting to stay in Vietnam to keep his pets safe. He has a gentle and nurturing spirit. When the family moves to Alabama, he rides his bicycle to and from school, often giving Kim Hà rides to help her avoid trouble.

Mr. Johnston is an Alabama car dealership owner who agrees to sponsor the family's resettlement in the United States. Because he wears a cowboy hat and boots and smokes a cigar, Kim Hà assumes he is a real cowboy with a horse. He brings the family fast food and helps them secure a rental home, though he initially struggles to bridge the cultural gap.

Miss Washington is a kind, observant neighbor who immediately embraces the newly arrived family. She volunteers to tutor them in English, using snacks as rewards for their progress. When she realizes Kim Hà is struggling with severe bullying at school, she actively intervenes to pack her lunches and improve her situation.

Pink Boy is an aggressive classmate who targets Kim Hà because she is different. He has pinkish skin and white hair, and he consistently invades her personal space, calls her insulting names, and turns other students against her. He acts as the primary source of conflict for Kim Hà during her transition to American public school.

Father is a South Vietnamese naval officer who disappeared on a mission nine years before the start of the story. He is absent but deeply felt in the household. His family knows little about his capture by the Communist army, but they keep his memory alive through specific details about his likes and dislikes.

Uncle Sơn is an old friend of Father's who actively looks out for the family in Saigon. He brings crucial information about the navy ships preparing to evacuate people before the city falls. He guides the family through the chaotic port to ensure they board a vessel safely.

TiTi is Kim Hà's best friend in Saigon. Because her family is wealthy, they are able to escape Vietnam early on a cruise ship from Vũng Tầu. Her departure marks the first major personal loss Kim Hà experiences as the war creeps closer to her daily life.

Pam is a friendly classmate in Alabama who reaches out to Kim Hà. She shares her hair barrettes and sits with Kim Hà at lunch, helping her feel less isolated in the unfamiliar American school environment. She even agrees to help Kim Hà avoid bullies after school.

Steven is a student in Kim Hà's class in Alabama who begins spending time with her. He offers Kim Hà a sense of community and normalcy at school after a long period of isolation and bullying.

Miss Scott is Kim Hà's fourth-grade teacher in Alabama. She struggles to understand Kim Hà's background and inadvertently isolates her further by laughing at her name and showing only war-torn photographs of Vietnam to the class, ignoring the country's beauty.