260:: As a youngster, Sammy had a temper and was constantly fighting because taunts about his 'insane' mother, lack of father, and mentally slow sister. Sammy was named after his uncle, who was killed in Vietnam. Sammy shares not only his name with his deceased uncle but also, it seems, his good looks and talent for sports. He prefers physical labor to schoolwork. Kids at school respect him because he does things on his own terms and the opinion of others rarely changes his course. Sammy is a hard working person, loves tennis and has a talent for working on cars. As a boy, he, James and Jeff have a crabbing business and when he gets older, he works part-time at the filling station.
248:: James Tillerman is the next eldest child, a thinker rather than a doer, and a natural loner. He loves books and learning, and did well academically but did not have any friends at school. James is known for having ideas and plans. He works from an early point towards getting a scholarship to college, James struggles with his self-image and fears being seen as a "dork." He gets anxious at the thought of physical pain and so, prefers activities that do not require much manual labor. He proves to be good with negotiations early on in life which leads him to think he should pursue law school but reconsiders after taking a position as an office clerk in Dr. Landros' office.
183:, Dicey is confused about where she fits into the family now that Gram has taken over responsibility for the youngsters, but she soon learns that the family still needs her resourcefulness and solid good sense. In her spare time, Dicey works at restoring a derelict sailboat, meticulously sanding down layers of old paint. Metaphorically, her emotional defenses wear away as she slowly opens to hope, friendship, expressive writing, and finally acceptance of her mother's death. When Gram and Dicey bring her mother's ashes home from Boston, the broken family is nearly healed.
278:: Jeff is the only child of the "Professor" and his mother who left them when Jeff was 7. Jeff's father, heartbroken, isolated himself leaving Jeff to a quiet and often lonely homelife. Jeff enjoys poetry and playing the guitar. Jeff falls in love with Dicey and they date throughout the cycle and he adopts the Tillermans as his surrogate family. He makes his own place in the family easily by connecting with each of the Tillermans in a special way. He has a talent for giving gifts in a way that even the proud Tillermans can accept.
254:: Maybeth's teachers thought she was slow and she was kept back a year in school. Because of her bashfulness and fright of strangers, Dicey and James are concerned that she may have inherited their mother's mental illnesses. Maybeth is a gifted singer and begins piano lessons. She also becomes less bashful at school and makes friends, but struggles to keep up in the classroom. She is an excellent cook and enjoys growing her own herbs and vegetables. She sells bundles of herbs to supplement the family income.
272:: Abigail is the Tillerman children's maternal grandmother. She is regarded by her townspeople as strange and a loner, but when her grandchildren appear on her doorstep she takes them on as their legal guardian, later adopting them. She is a strong, proud woman like Dicey. Gram is an involved parent who understands and advises the children according to each personality. She allows them to make their own choices even when it goes against her better judgment so that they can learn from their own mistakes.
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242:. As her mother was mentally unstable for most of their childhood, Dicey acted in a parenting role from a very young age. Dicey is fiercely independent and a problem-solver. She is very realistic and driven. Because she grew up quickly to take care of her siblings, she struggles to fit in with her peers. She loves boats and hopes to build them professionally.
266:: Mina is the daughter of Reverend Amos Smiths and nurse Raymonda Smiths. She is the fifth of six children, all named after kings and queens from European history. She is black, extremely intelligent and perceptive, as well as being a talented dancer and singer. She is popular at school and Dicey's best friend.
168:, the four Tillerman children search for a new home after they are abandoned by their emotionally ill mother. Dicey and her younger brothers and sister eventually settle in with their grandmother ("Gram") on a stark homestead in
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329:: Mr Lingerle is Maybeth Tillerman's piano teacher. He becomes like an extra member of the Tillerman family. He appears first in
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353:: Brother Thomas is a good friend of Professor Greene's. They meet at the college in Baltimore where they both work.
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is a standalone novel and the events in it take place about ten years before
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