| A | B |
|---|
| works at Berger Derby | Sandi |
| kidnapped | Ismene |
| resilient little one | Turtle |
| Turtle's real name | April |
| son of former rodeo man | Dwayne Ray |
| regularly transports refugees | Fr. William |
| worked in a hospital for several years | Taylor |
| Marietta's nickname | Missy |
| rodeo man; injured in accident | Angel |
| helps Mattie with her work and later works on a reservation | Dr. Terry |
| owner of used tire business | Mattie |
| single parent who has low self-esteem | Lou Ann |
| several suicide attempts | Esperanza |
| science teacher; heart throb of Pittman | Hughes Walter |
| blind, elderly neighbor of Taylor | Edna Poppy |
| social worker who helps Taylor with adoption | Cynthia |
| brings water from Tug Fork River | Granny Logan |
| Lou Ann's mom | Ivy Logan |
| Angel's last name | Ruiz |
| bigotted neighbor | Virgie Mae Parsons |
| "the one that did not get away"; he shoots wife and self | Newt Hardbine |
| worker at Broken Arrow Motel who lets Taylor and Turtle stay there for a while | Mrs. Hoge |
| Treats Missy as if everything she does is great | Taylor's mom |
| former English teacher; now restaurant employee | Estevan |
| lives with her mother-in-law, but seldom speaks to her | Ivy Logan |
| defends child in Roosevelt Park | Edna Poppy |
| tells parable "how they eat in Heaven" | Estevan |
| group of Oklahoma kids who had to do labor to earn money for clothes | Nutters |
| doll that Turtle buries | Shirley Poppy |
| experiences a catharsis in the notary's office | Esperanza |
| reminds Taylor to "ask the right question" when making a decision | Mattie |
| Mama's new husband | Harland Elleston |
| fixes Taylor's car in Okaloma | Bob Two Two |
