Rachel is an 11-year-old girl of mixed race. Her mother is White and Danish, while her father is a Black American soldier. Following a tragic incident in Chicago that leaves her as the sole survivor of her immediate family unit, she moves to Portland to live with her grandmother. She is highly intelligent and struggles to understand her racial identity in a new environment where her light skin and blue eyes draw constant attention.

Grandma is Rachel's paternal grandmother and the first Black woman to own a home on her street in Portland. She steps in as Rachel's guardian after the tragedy in Chicago. She attends church regularly but struggles to provide the emotional warmth Rachel needs, frequently turning to sherry to cope with her own immense grief.

Aunt Loretta is Roger's sister and Rachel's aunt. She is a divorced woman who currently lives with Grandma and works in an office. She stands out in Rachel's mind because she enjoys reading and playing tennis, activities that Rachel associates with class. She offers Rachel genuine affection and encouragement.

Drew is Aunt Loretta's fiancé. He works at the Salvation Army Harbor Lights Center, managing programs for homeless individuals. He takes a strong paternal interest in Rachel, offering her books on racial identity and listening to her concerns without judgment.

Brick, formerly known as Jamie, is a young boy who lives in the same Chicago apartment building as Rachel's family. He runs away from his drug-addicted mother and survives years on the streets of Kansas City before arriving in Portland. He plays a harmonica given to him by Rachel's father and eventually forms a deep bond with Rachel.

Nella is a White Danish woman who marries Roger, a Black American soldier, despite his warnings about American racism. She is an idealistic mother who struggles with her husband's alcoholism. She eventually finds sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous and moves her family to Chicago in hopes of a better life.

Roger is Rachel's father, a Black American soldier who makes maps for the military. He is highly pessimistic about the viability of an interracial family in America. His severe alcoholism and abusive tendencies cause deep fractures in his family, eventually leading him to surrender Rachel to his mother's care.

Jesse is a White teenager from New York City working at the homeless center for the summer to improve his college applications. His mother is from Norway, which allows him to bond with Rachel by speaking Danish. He acts as a bridge to Rachel's European heritage but occasionally demonstrates a superficial understanding of race.

Doug is a White American man who becomes romantically involved with Nella. He moves with Nella and her children to Chicago. Despite meeting in a sobriety group, he relapses into heavy drinking and exhibits threatening, racist behavior toward Nella's mixed-race children.

Laronne is Nella's employer at the library in Chicago. She is a compassionate woman who recognizes Nella's struggles and tries to offer financial and emotional support. She later collects Nella's journals and tries to piece together the events leading to the family's tragedy.

Charles is the firstborn son of Nella and Roger. He is a sickly infant who struggles with poor health, drawing intense frustration and dangerous behavior from his father.

Robbie is Rachel's younger brother. Rachel frequently dreams about him and deeply feels his absence after she moves to Portland.

Ariel is the youngest child of Nella and Roger. As an infant, she is entirely reliant on her mother during the family's turbulent transition to America.

Lakeisha is Drew's teenage daughter who lives in North Carolina. She visits Portland during holidays and the summer. She is highly focused on popular culture, dancing, and boys, making it difficult for her to relate to the more serious and academic Rachel.

Anthony Miller is a Black student in Rachel's class who exhibits a combination of disruptive behavior and early romantic interest. He pursues a secretive physical relationship with Rachel during their middle school and high school years.

Tamika is a Black girl in Rachel's class who immediately targets Rachel. Driven by jealousy over Rachel's appearance, she frequently mocks her, leading to a physical confrontation in high school.

Mrs. Anderson is Rachel's teacher and the first Black female teacher Rachel has ever had. She runs a strict classroom, occasionally using a yardstick to command attention from disruptive students.

Miss Verle is a close friend of Grandma's in Portland. She speaks with nonstandard English and acts as an enabler for Grandma's habits, frequently supplying her with bottles of sherry and videotapes.

Tracy is a White girl at Rachel's school in Portland. She stands out as Rachel's only friend during her early days at the new school, helping her navigate the social dynamics of the classroom.

John Bailey is a high school student who becomes involved with Rachel. He applies inappropriate pressure on her to escalate their physical relationship, threatening to break up with her if she does not comply.

David is Laronne's husband. He remains a supportive presence in her life as she processes her grief and confusion over Nella's tragedy.

Solvej is Nella's sister from Denmark. Her visit to the military base in Germany coincides with an escalation of Roger's drunken and inappropriate behavior.

Nathan is Aunt Loretta's ex-husband. He is a frequent topic of gossip due to his numerous affairs with both men and women during their marriage.

Helen is a friend of Aunt Loretta's. Because she does not know the full history of Roger's interracial marriage, she initially mistakes Rachel for Loretta's daughter.

Carmen is a beautiful classmate of Rachel's in Portland. She mocks Rachel during a school event, contributing to Rachel's feelings of isolation.