Minor Characters
The Thug
The drummer in Herman’s band. He loves to crack jokes and make fun of Bud Caldwell and the other members of the band.
Mr. Amos
Todd’s father and Mrs. Amos’s husband. He goes along with his wife’s cruelty and locks Bud in the shed.
Kim Sleet
Mrs. Sleet’s daughter and Scott Sleet’s sister. Kim and Scott are Lefty Lewis’s “favorite”—and only—grandchildren. She takes interest in Bud’s story and asks him questions about his mother and his life during breakfast at Mrs. Sleet’s house.
Scott Sleet
Mrs. Sleet’s son, Kim Sleet’s brother, and one of Lefty Lewis’s “favorite” grandchildren.
Doo Doo Bug
The trombone player in Herman’s band.
Tyla
The waitress at Sweet Pea, where Jimmy and the other bandmembers take Bud for a meal. Steady Eddie and Tyla have a close (likely romantic) relationship.
Jerry Clark
Another boy at the Home. At the beginning of the novel, he and Bud Caldwell are both sent to live in new foster homes. Although Bud can’t bring himself to cry, Jerry does shed some tears, and Bud comforts him.
Mouth-Organ Man
A man that Bugs and Bud meet in Hooverville, a shanty town made out of cardboard and crates. He invites the boys to stick around and eat a meal, as long as they help out with cleanup duty.
Miss Hill
Bud’s favorite librarian who moves to Chicago with her new husband before Bud has a chance to ask her for help while he’s running away.
The Librarian
A kindly librarian who helps Bud when he’s looking for maps. She informs him of Miss Hill’s recent move and also tells him that she remembers when he and his Momma used to visit the library years ago.
The Caseworker
The woman who comes to the Home to inform Bud and Jerry Clark that they’ve both been placed in new foster homes.