Carrie is a ten-year-old girl living in the all-Black town of Eatonville, Florida, at the turn of the 20th century. She struggles to understand the mysterious disappearance of her father, Avery, which has left her mother working extra shifts to support them. Seeking comfort, Carrie often spends her evenings with the Hurston family. She relies on her best friend Zora's vivid storytelling to make sense of the frightening adult world around them.

Zora is Carrie's confident, highly imaginative best friend. She possesses a deep belief in myth and magic, using complex stories to process and explain the violent events occurring in Eatonville. She yearns to travel beyond her hometown to places like New York. At home, she frequently clashes with her strict father, who clearly favors his other children over her.

Teddy is a kind, thoughtful farm boy who spends his free time with Carrie and Zora. He is the first child in his family to have the opportunity to attend high school, as his older brothers had to leave school early to work the farm. He has a deep affinity for animals, often secretly rescuing injured creatures in the woods and collecting their bones and shells.

Ivory is a traveling turpentine worker who stops to rest in Eatonville. He has traveled extensively, reaching as far as New York City, which instantly captivates Zora. He sings beautifully and possesses a physical resemblance to Carrie's missing father.

Gold is a beautiful, blonde-haired woman who lives in the nearby town of Lake Maitland. The children first spot her wearing fancy clothes and spending time with a white man. Her actions and presence in white-only spaces draw sharp disapproval from the older Black women of Eatonville.

Joe Clarke serves as both the town marshal and the owner of the general store in Eatonville. He acts as a central authority figure in the community, attempting to maintain peace and order. He frequently rewards the local children with licorice while firmly advising them against spreading rumors.

Mr. Pendir is a reclusive, solitary carpenter living on the edge of Eatonville near the Blue Sink swimming hole. He keeps entirely to himself, which breeds local superstition. Zora becomes entirely convinced that he is capable of transforming into an alligator after claiming to see him wearing a gator snout in the dark.

Old Lady Bronson is an older resident of Eatonville with a reputation for a bad temper and casting spells. She stubbornly fishes alone at the Blue Sink, dismissing the children's warnings about dangerous wildlife in the water.

Miss Billie is Old Lady Bronson's adult granddaughter. She is a caring young woman who takes responsibility for her grandmother's wellbeing, growing anxious when the older woman fails to return home from the swimming hole.

Mrs. Jefferson is a Black woman who works in the nearby town of Lake Maitland. She keeps her finger on the pulse of the neighboring white community, sharing local gossip and racial anxieties with her friends from Eatonville.

Mr. Ambrose is a white man from Lake Maitland who occasionally visits Eatonville. He holds a unique bond with Zora because he was present at her birth. Despite presenting a friendly demeanor to the children and buying Zora a book, he freely uses racial slurs and holds deep prejudices against the Black community.

Mrs. Hurston is Zora's mother. She acts as a stabilizing, comforting presence in her daughter's life, especially when Zora clashes with her father. She also serves as a surrogate mother to Carrie, providing her with dinners and supervision while Carrie's mother works long hours.

Mr. Hurston is Zora's father and a traveling preacher. He is frequently absent from home due to his work in Orlando. When he is present, he is strict and openly favors his sons and eldest daughter over Zora, whom he frequently criticizes.

Sonny is a boastful young man in Eatonville who attempts to prove his bravery by wrestling the largest alligator in the swamp. His violent mauling in the opening chapter deeply traumatizes the observing children.

Will is a white man living in Lake Maitland. He is described as tall and sweaty, and he appears highly uncomfortable whenever his fiancée interacts with Black residents of Eatonville.

Ghost is a massive, fearsome alligator residing near Eatonville. His violent encounter with a local man leaves a lasting impression on the town and inspires Zora's persistent theories about magical, man-eating monsters.

Avery is Carrie's father. Six months before the story begins, he traveled to Orlando to find work at a turpentine factory and never returned. His unexplained disappearance forces his wife to work extra shifts and leaves his daughter searching for answers.

Carrie's mother is a hardworking woman who must support herself and her daughter after her husband's unexplained disappearance. She works long hours in Lake Maitland, relying on the Hurston family to care for her daughter in her absence.