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All of the characters in this book different from each other. They all had different wants, desires, memories, pains, and much more.
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Lily
A white girl of fourteen, living in a very rought time. "She runs away from her father who seems to care more for his dog than his daughter" (Morey 2). Her father was very abusive and harsh toward her. The only memory that she has of her mother is the afternoon that she acidentally shot and killed her. She is very captivated in the wonders and workings of nature.
Deborah
Deborah is Lily's mother. She was accidentally shot and killed by four-year-old Lily during a fight with her abusive husband.
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T. Ray
T. Ray is Lily's father. He is very harsh and abusive toward her. He doesn't like to think about Lily's mother who died years ago. He is so mean to Lily that she runs away from him, searching for a new life.
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Rosaleen
Rosaleen is Lily's black nanny. She acts as a stand-in-mother in Lily's life. She is very independent and wants the rights that she deserves. She practices her cursive, just so that she can go to vote once the Ciivl Rights Act is passed (Kephart 2).
Zach
Lily's love interest. Zach is a black boy about the same age as Lily. He really likes her, but is having a hard time getting around the fact that she is white, while he is black.
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The Calendar Sisters
May, June and August are the three beekeeping sisters that take both Lily and Rosaleen not only into their home, but also their hearts.
May: Feels everyone's pain. Her twin sister killed herself at an early age, which made her more sensitive to people's feelings from then on. She is very loving, kind, and caring. She built a wailing wall to help her deal with all of her pain rather than bottling it up inside.
June: Feels that it is wrong for Lily to run away from home and not let her father know about anything. She refuses to get married. She is a very strict and harsh woman who has very hard time showing any emotion at all.
August: She really wants to help Lily and Rosaleen. She is the main sister that decides to let them stay with her and her sisters. She is very loving, caring, and mother-like. August is the sister that introduces Lily to the Black Madonna.
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