Frederika, usually called Fred, is a ten-year-old Athabascan girl living in a remote Alaskan village in 1948. She has a deep hunger for learning and is particularly fascinated by maps and the world outside her home. Uninterested in traditional female roles like marriage, she aspires to become a writer and see the world. Her natural curiosity makes her highly receptive to progressive teaching methods.

Miss Agnes is an English woman who arrives in the remote Alaskan village to serve as its new teacher for a single year. She is a progressive educator who discards outdated textbooks in favor of tailored stories, music, and art projects. Unlike her predecessors, she actively seeks to understand the local Athabascan culture rather than imposing strictly outside values. She commands respect through quiet capability rather than harsh discipline.

Mamma is Fred and Bokko's widowed mother, who faces the heavy burden of running a household and preparing animal hides without a husband. She harbors negative feelings toward education based on her own schooling experiences and initially keeps her deaf daughter home to help with chores. Practical and weary, she views the village's traditional survival work as more immediately valuable than academic pursuits.

Bokko is Fred's twelve-year-old sister who has a hearing impairment. Because of her deafness and her mother's reliance on her for household labor, she has never attended school. She relies heavily on Fred for communication until a new educational approach introduces sign language to the classroom. She is highly observant and possesses a sharp sense of humor.

Fred's grandfather is a village elder who balances a deep respect for traditional Athabascan ways with a strong belief in the value of modern education. Having had to leave school early in his youth, he retains a keen interest in world events and history. He frequently shares stories of the old days, helping the younger generation understand their heritage.

Sam is the local bush pilot who provides the village's main connection to the outside world. He transports teachers in and out of the remote settlement and brings essential supplies requested for the classroom.

Bertha is a student in the village school and a close companion to Fred. She was adopted by local parents, while her birth mother lives in the nearby settlement of Allakaket. She demonstrates an early aptitude for writing and cursive handwriting.

Jimmy Sam is a clever and thoughtful schoolboy in the village. He demonstrates a strong natural aptitude for science, particularly when introduced to a microscope, and he enjoys learning the formal rules of English grammar.

Marie is an older student who takes on significant domestic responsibilities, such as cooking and melting snow for washing water while her mother traps. She enjoys singing, dancing, and styling her hair, showing more interest in homemaking than academic studies.

Charlie-Boy is one of the local schoolchildren. He possesses a natural talent for physical activities and quickly excels at learning and utilizing sign language.

Little Pete is a local boy who attends the village school. He leaves classes mid-year to go trapping with his aunt, expressing unusual reluctance to depart because he wants to hear the end of a classroom story.

Big Pete is a local villager who, despite his nickname, is actually quite tall in stature. He is enthusiastic about the geographical maps brought to the village and actively engages with the new educational materials.

Fred's grandmother is a village elder who stays in town during the winter. She teaches her granddaughters traditional skills like sewing and knitting and holds strict opinions on proper craftsmanship, actively disapproving of store-bought clothing.

Old Man Andreson runs the local store in the village. He serves as a source of community information and confirms the new teacher's positive reputation from her time in a neighboring settlement.