George
Everyone in school sees the ten-year-old George as a boy, but he does not understand his sexuality. While at home, George secretly goes to his mother's bedroom and tries putting on her clothes and shoes. George does not understand if he is doing anything wrong, but his mother suspects something is wrong with him.
While at school, George hates using boys' toilets and feels he should use girls' washrooms. George's mother later realizes that George is transgender and he is more girlish than boyish. In "Charlotte," George asks Ms. Udell to allow her to act as a female character in the play. Jeff and Rick start laughing and teasing George that he should not be playing girlish roles in the play, and this ridicule makes him cry. However, Kelly comforts her and tells her that it is good she is coming out boldly to claim her identity as a transgender person.
George’s Mother
George's mother is a loving person and concerned about George's welfare. However, she starts being suspicious about George's identity when she sees him secretly trying on her clothes. Later, she discovers that George is transgender. George does not think his mother will judge him because she is the only parent he has known his entire life.
Melissa
While alone, Melissa is the girl in the magazine that George is looking at. George makes sure nobody sees him while reading the magazine. He wishes he could be Melissa and apply makeup. Melissa has female friends in the magazine. George wishes he could have more female friends because he is more feminine. Melissa makes George hope to be a girl and not be perceived as a boy because she hates that feeling.
Scott
Scott is George's brother and always tries to investigate why George is so secretive. One day, Scott suspects that George is hiding in the bathroom, and he bangs the door and enters. George quickly hides the magazine he is reading because it only has female characters. After Scott leaves, George hides the magazine in his closet and goes to sleep.
Ms. Udell
Ms. Udell is George's grade four teacher. When Ms. Udell reads the chapter on "Charlotte Dies," George is moved, and he cries because the story triggers his emotions and the desire to be someone else. George wants to be a girl, but everyone perceives him as a boy. Ms. Udell comforts George and tells him everything shall be well because she understands his concerns and perceptions.
Jeff and Rick
Jeff and Rick are the boys who always make fun of George because of his girlish behavior. George feels uncomfortable around boys, especially Rick and Jeff because they do not understand his feelings. They make the situation worse for George when they ridicule him.
Kelly
Kelly is a close friend of George, and she always comforts him and encourages him to come out openly and admit that he is a girl instead of suffering in silence. Kelly also encourages George to act as Charlotte, a female character in the play, because that will bring out his identity as a girl to silence people's perception who say that he is a boy.
