-Frankie Addams: Main character of the book, is a lanky 12-year-old in the .
middle of a growth spurt, seems sad, lonesome, and somewhat confused. .
-Berenice Sadie Brown: African-American housekeeper at Frankie's house, claims to be 35 years old but is older, often argues with Frankie.
-Jarvis Addams: Brother of Frankie, engaged to Janice Evans, in the military, has been stationed in Alaska.
-John Henry West: Frankie's 1st cousin, 6 years old, seems strange because he often doesn't respond to others and doesn't act as other children do.
Important Events:.
-Part One:.
-Frankie, John Henry and Berenice play cards. Frankie continuously thinks and talks about her brother's wedding, and Berenice tells Frankie that she is simply jealous.
-Frankie, claiming that John Henry is scared, invites him to sleep over. They sleep in the same bed which satisfies Frankie because she's wanted to sleep in the same bed as someone else since her dad no longer allows her to sleep in his.
-The next morning these two and Berenice talk about Christmas. That afternoon during a game of cards Frankie becomes angry with John Henry because he refuses to play one of his cards. She also gives him a doll.
-Frankie realizes how lonely she is. She discovers that she only fits with Jarvis and Janice as a group. She wants to change her name so that it starts with JA' just as Jarvis's and Janice's names begin. She also remembers about the freak show and if she will be a freak if she continues to grow rapidly.
-Over the course of summer, she steals from a store, shoots her dads gun, and commits "a queer sin- with a boy named Barney MacKean in a garage. For this sin, she develops a great hatred for the Barney and wishes to kill him. Also, her almost pure Persian cat named Charles runs away.
-Frankie begins listening to radio reports about the war (WWII) and develops curiosity in the subject. She dreams of helping by donating blood to the Red Cross but she is turned down because she is too young.