| A | B |
|---|
| Sugar | nickname for Sal's mom, aka Chanhassen |
| Phoebe | Sal's friend, and subject of this story |
| Mrs. Winterbottom | Phoebe' mother, who has a secret |
| The Lunatic | leaves notes at Phoebe's house |
| Mrs. Cadaver | Sal's father's friend, Phoebe's neighbor |
| Ben Finney | Sal's classmate, gives her first kiss |
| Mary Lou Finney | Sal's classmate with multiple siblings |
| Gram and Gramps | ride with Sal across the country |
| Bybanks | Sal's hometown |
| Euclid | town in Ohio Sal moves too |
| Moccasin | snake, or heel less soft leather shoe |
| Mr. Birkway | outside the box teacher, reminds Sal of her Mom |
| Salamanca Tree Hiddle | Sal's real name |
| Seneca | Native American tribe Sal was named after |
| Mr. Cadaver | supposedly killed by his wife and buried in back yard |
| Sal's Mother | travels across the country after losing her baby |
| Gram | bitten by a water moccasin |
| Tom Fleet | tried to save Gram's life, turns down $50 |
| Indiana | the state that Gram slept through on their trip |
| Illinois | the state Gramps calls Ill-Ah-No-Way |
