Bean is a highly active seven-year-old girl who lives on Pancake Court. She prefers crushing rocks, stomping in puddles, and playing large group games like hide-and-seek rather than sitting quietly. She maintains a contentious rivalry with her older sister, Nancy, often devising elaborate plots like tying a stolen twenty-dollar bill to a string to torment her. Initially, she dismisses the new girl across the street because she wears dresses and reads big books, assuming they share no interests.

Ivy is a quiet seven-year-old girl who recently moved into the house across the street on Pancake Court. She dresses in a black bathrobe, carries a decorated stick, and keeps to herself while reading large books on her front porch. Behind her quiet exterior, Ivy is actively studying to become a witch. She maintains a carefully sectioned room equipped with a small sofa, craft supplies, and a mummified Barbie doll, and she actively searches for spell ingredients like worms and a dead frog.

Nancy is Bean’s eleven-year-old older sister. She is currently going through a highly bossy phase, frequently ordering Bean to comb her hair, brush her teeth, and stop eating certain snacks. Nancy enjoys going on shopping trips with her mother and deeply desires to get her ears pierced, a wish her mother denies. Her tendency to order Bean around makes her the central target of the younger girls' magical retaliation.

Bean's mother is a resident of Pancake Court who handles the ongoing disputes between her two daughters. She frequently takes the girls on errands, such as shopping for clothes, and tries to instill positive social habits. She actively pushes Bean to introduce herself to Ivy, incorrectly assuming they will bond over both being "nice."

Ivy's mother is a new resident of Pancake Court who works from home. She encourages her daughter to be self-sufficient, telling her to fetch her own bananas and snacks when she is busy on the phone. She repeatedly suggests that Ivy should go outside and play with the girl across the street.

Mrs. Trantz is an older woman living on Pancake Court who maintains an immaculate garden. She is highly protective of her property and unfriendly toward the neighborhood children. She readily threatens to report any trespassing directly to the children's parents.

Ivy's aunt is a family member who supports Ivy's unusual interests. She provided Ivy with the large spell book that serves as the foundation for Ivy's secret pursuit of witchcraft and magical potions.

Matt is a young boy living in the neighborhood around Pancake Court. He participates in the large group games that the local children organize, though he has a reputation for being somewhat aggressive and mean.

Jake is a teenager who lives on Pancake Court. He spends time in his garage playing loud music with vulgar lyrics, serving as one of the obstacles the girls must cross during their backyard shortcuts.

Ruby is a young child living on Pancake Court. Her backyard features a prominent sandbox, which sits along the route that older children use to travel stealthily between properties.

Trevor is a child residing on Pancake Court. He shares a backyard and a large sandbox with Ruby, providing a quiet area for Ivy and Bean to sneak through.

Kalia is a baby living on Pancake Court. She is often seen sitting in her highchair, observing the older children as they play and run through the neighborhood backyards.

Mr. Killiop is the former resident of the house that Ivy's family recently purchased on Pancake Court. He moved away to Ohio, leaving his empty property for the new family.