| A | B |
|---|
| Jennings Michael Burch | The novel's narrator |
| George Burch | oldest child, angry, drinks |
| Walter Burch | scholar, believes education is "the way out" |
| Larry Burch | Jenning's favorite, whiner, runs away |
| Jerome Burch | lives in a convalescent home |
| Gene Burch | neglected, cries and sleeps alot, youngest brother |
| Mary Ann Burch | died in infancy |
| Mrs. Burch | depressed, exhausted, overwhelmed |
| Mark | lifer, has no last name, dies of heart failure |
| Butch | bully who eventually befriends Jennings at the Home of the Angels |
| Sister Frances | thin, harsh nun, changes her attitude |
| Doggie | Jenning's best friend and confidante |
| Stacy | Jennings' first love, talkative |
| The Carpenters | abusive foster parents |
| Stevie | Runaway who is abused by his father |
| Sister Barbara | abusive, drags Jennings across the floor |
| Sarge | protects Jennings, gives him his phone number |
| Sister Clair | gives Doggie to Jennings |
| Sister Gerard | helps Jennings get caught up in school |
| Sal | bus driver, lifer, father figure |
| Midnight | found in a shoebox, dies from abuse |
| Mr. Frazier | to busy to spend time with his foster children |
| Mrs. Frazier | looks like a "department store" |
| Martha | mother figure, cook, protects Jennings |
| Donald Frazier | cheats Jennings, ill tempered, defiant to parents |
| Clarence | a night watchman who teaches Jennings that there's always room for more friends |
| Ronny | punches Jennings on his first day at the Brooklyn Shelter |
| Mrs. Abbot | Frog Face |
| Mrs. Keller | Makes Jennings stand at the chalkboard for three days |
| Kevin Aldridge | his father killed his mother then killed himself |
| Mr. Daily | could lose his job if he keeps Jennings |
| Mrs. Daily | washes Doggie, cooks a Thanksgiving meal for Jennings |
