| A | B |
| Walter Dean Myers | narrator and author |
| Harlem | setting of story |
| Garment Industry | place where clothing is produced |
| Langston Hughes | famous African American poet |
| Jackie Robinson | famous African American baseball player |
| Mr. Irwin Lasher | 6th Grade Teacher |
| William Dean - grandfather | ramrod straight, stuck in old ways, never had indoor plumbing |
| Herbert Dean - father | illiterate, bought Walter a typewriter |
| Florence Dean -mother | kind, loved to read romance novels |
| George Myers - biological father | wife died, left him with young children, first husband to Florence |
| Mrs.Dodd | comic books are evil |
| Dr. Holiday | Do you like being Black? |
| HS English Teacher | Don't give up writing |
| Walter | Doesn't like voluntary segregation |
| Mom | Spends money on numbers |
| Frank | Killed some people |
| Mom | read to him |
| Dad | your a man now |
| Mr. Lasher | your a bright boy |