Miranda is a 12-year-old latchkey kid living in a New York City apartment with her single mother. She carries a beat-up copy of Madeleine L'Engle's *A Wrinkle in Time* everywhere she goes. Following a sudden rift with her lifelong best friend, she finds herself securing a lunch-hour job at a local sandwich shop and making new friends. She is highly observant of small details but struggles to understand the motivations of the people closest to her.

Marcus is a highly intelligent new student from Detroit who reads advanced math books and enjoys debating the physics of time travel. He focuses intensely on large concepts but frequently forgets small details, like his classmates' names. The Laughing Man is an eccentric, unhoused fixture on Miranda's block who sleeps under a mailbox, practices random kicks into the street, and mutters cryptic phrases like "bookbag, pocketshoe." Both figures feature prominently in the strange sequence of events unfolding in Miranda's neighborhood.

Miranda's mother is a single parent who works as a paralegal at a law firm. She strongly dislikes her job but channels her stress into obsessive preparation for her game show appearance, viewing the prize money as a chance to finish her law degree. Despite her personal frustrations, she donates her free time to providing legal counsel to pregnant inmates.

Richard is a lawyer at the firm where Miranda's mother works, and he has been dating her for about two years. Nicknamed "Mr. Perfect" for his calm demeanor, neat appearance, and wealth of general knowledge, he acts as a stabilizing force in the Sinclair household. He is highly supportive of his girlfriend's aspirations, actively encouraging her to finish law school rather than just dream about game show money.

Sal is Miranda's childhood best friend who lives in the apartment directly below hers. At the beginning of the school year, he abruptly ends their daily walks home and begins spending his afternoons playing basketball alone in the courtyard. Following a violent incident on the street, he shuts Miranda out completely, leaving her to decipher the sudden collapse of their lifelong bond.

Annemarie is a wealthy student who lives in an upscale apartment building equipped with a doorman. She bonds with Miranda as they both navigate the sudden loss of their primary friendships. She lives with epilepsy, which her attentive father manages by preparing a strict, specialized diet that she often throws away on her walk to school.

Julia is Annemarie's wealthy, globe-trotting former best friend. She is Black and highly aware of the world around her, frequently bringing back jewelry and stories from places like Switzerland. Though Miranda initially views her as controlling and pretentious, Julia maintains a quiet, vigilant watch over Annemarie's health from afar.

Colin is a charming, somewhat goofy boy in Miranda's class with an "injured-puppy face." He takes the initiative to secure free lunches for himself, Miranda, and Annemarie by volunteering them to work behind the counter at Jimmy's shop. He serves as a catalyst for Miranda's expanding social circle.

Jimmy owns the local sandwich shop where Miranda, Annemarie, and Colin work during their lunch break. He is a temperamental boss who pays the children in cheese sandwiches and soda. He keeps his savings entirely in two-dollar bills folded into triangles inside a Fred Flintstone bank, and his severe racial prejudices eventually come to the surface.

Belle is the friendly owner of a small market on Amsterdam Avenue. She provides a safe space for Miranda to wait after school, keeping her engaged in conversation about her favorite books. She keeps a watchful eye on the neighborhood's street activities.

Luisa is Sal's mother and a single parent living in the apartment below Miranda's. She met Miranda's mother in the building lobby when their children were infants. She is highly supportive of her neighbor's game show ambitions, meticulously recording daily episodes at work to provide practice material.