Anna is the eldest Witting child and the story's observant narrator. As a young girl transitioning toward adolescence, she takes on a protective, maternal role toward her younger brother while carefully monitoring the emotional atmosphere of her family. She meticulously records daily events and her private anxieties in a journal. This writing provides her a quiet space to process the severe drought affecting their prairie home.

Caleb is Anna's sensitive and deeply emotional younger brother. Carrying an ever-present fear of abandonment following his biological mother's death, he attaches fiercely to his new stepmother and constantly seeks reassurance that she will stay. He approaches the devastating drought with childlike optimism, setting up a glass jar on the fence to catch the rain he believes is imminent.

Sarah is an independent, capable woman who recently moved from the coasts of Maine to become Jacob's wife. She possesses a deep love for her new stepchildren but struggles to fully assimilate into the dry realities of prairie life during a severe drought. Her ongoing correspondence with her aunts in Maine keeps her physically and emotionally tethered to the sea, causing her new family to worry about her true sense of belonging.

Jacob is a steadfast, quiet farmer who is deeply devoted to his land and his newly expanded family. He faces immense pressure to provide for his household and livestock as the drought dries up their water supply. Though he struggles to articulate his feelings, his actions demonstrate a fierce determination to protect his farm and reassure his wife that she belongs with him.

Maggie is a neighboring prairie woman who originally moved to the region as a mail-order bride. She understands the unique isolation and sacrifices required of frontier women, offering Sarah vital friendship and pragmatic advice. Maggie balances her own family's survival needs as the environmental conditions worsen and their local well begins to dry up.

Matthew is a local farmer, Maggie's husband, and a neighbor to the Witting family. He shares Jacob's deep bond to the unforgiving prairie dirt, working tirelessly to sustain his crops and livestock despite the dry conditions.

Tom is Maggie and Matthew's infant son. His presence brings joy to the neighborhood women and prompts Sarah to reflect on the cycles of motherhood surrounding her.

Joshua is a local photographer who captures the Wittings' family portrait. He holds a cynical view of the prairie's weather, recalling how his own grandfather abandoned the region due to a historic lack of rain.

Harriet is one of Sarah's aunts residing in Maine. She writes faithfully to her niece, describing the coastal storms and green environment that the Witting children struggle to imagine.

Mattie is another of Sarah's aunts who still lives in Sarah's coastal childhood home. Her letters serve as a lifeline for Sarah but cause anxiety for Jacob and the children, who fear she will leave them.

Lou is Sarah's third aunt in Maine. She shares updates about the extended family and the ocean environment, providing a clear difference to the parched prairie.

William is Sarah's brother who remains in Maine. He represents another strong familial tie pulling at Sarah's memories of her coastal upbringing.

Caroline is a local prairie woman whose family's well runs completely dry. She represents the harsh reality of the pioneer environment as she is forced to pack her wagon and abandon her homestead early in the drought.

Joseph is Caroline's husband. Defeated by the severe drought and the failure of their well, he must relocate his family to find water and survive.

Mrs. Parkley is the proprietor of the local town store where the prairie families gather for supplies and community news.

Seal is Sarah's beloved cat, brought all the way from Maine to the prairie. Her pregnancy brings a small sense of hope and new life to the dry, dusty farm.