Meena is a 12-year-old immigrant from Mussoorie, India, currently living in a rent-controlled apartment in New York City. She works hard for her family and her neighbor, handling the laundry and chores without complaint. She misses her grandmother in India deeply and relies on her love for reading and poetry to express her feelings about adjusting to a new culture.

River is a 12-year-old boy living in a coal-mining town with his mother and grandmother. He enjoys playing basketball and collecting natural objects from the woods. Feeling different from his peers because he prefers books and writing over video games, he decides to be completely honest with his pen pal in New York.

River's grandmother acts as his primary caretaker while his mother rests and his father works out of state. She is a passionate activist involved in an organization fighting against mountaintop removal in their community. She teaches her grandson how to stand up for his beliefs respectfully and confidently.

Kiku is Meena's 17-year-old brother who has lived in the United States longer than she has. He listens to American music and helps his younger sister adjust to city life. Despite their mother's strict expectations about dating, he secretly sees a girl whose family runs a fruit cart.

Mrs. Lau is an elderly neighbor who immigrated from Hong Kong decades ago. She allows the Joshi family to live in her son's rent-controlled apartment and employs Meena to do her laundry and walk her dog, Cuba. She shares her wisdom about stereotypes and city life with her young neighbor.

Meena's mother works long hours as a nanny in New York City to support her children. She holds tight to her Indian cultural expectations, especially regarding her children's future marriages. She takes on a difficult leadership role in the household while her husband works out of state.

Meena's father lives away from his family to work at a catering hall, returning to their New York apartment only one weekend a month. He undergoes the stressful process of applying for American citizenship while missing his family's daily life.

Dadi is Meena's beloved grandmother who raised her for six years in the mountain town of Mussoorie while her parents established themselves in America. She instilled a strong appreciation for education in her granddaughter.

River's mother spends much of her time confined to her bed because of severe headaches. Her illness and the absence of her husband create stress for the household, leaving her mother-in-law to handle most of the parenting responsibilities.

River's father works far from Kentucky, helping to rebuild Biloxi, Mississippi, following Hurricane Katrina. He has a history of making insensitive comments about people from other cultures, which bothers his son.

Dr. Patel and his wife are the only Indian people living in River's predominantly white Kentucky community. His presence provides River with a local connection to the culture he learns about from his pen pal.

Chandra is Dr. Patel's wife. River initially feels uncertain about how to interact with her, but he gradually learns to approach her with respect as Meena teaches him more about Indian customs.

Mark is River's best friend and a fellow player on the middle school basketball team. He shares River's interest in sports and school activities.

Ana Maria is a young woman whose Mexican family operates a fruit cart in the city. She dates Kiku in secret because his mother prefers he date an Indian girl.

Carlos is a boy in Meena's drama club at school. He knows the choreography to popular songs and stands up for himself confidently when bullied by others.

Sam is one of River's basketball teammates. His father works for the coal company conducting mountaintop removal, putting his family at odds with River's grandmother's activism.