| Maya | Angelou | A famous poet. |
| Isabella | B. Thornton | Protagonist and Narrator. Aka: Izzy. |
| Imani | Bonner | Izzy's friend and classmate. |
| Mrs. | Bonner | Imani's mother. |
| Gwendolyn | Brooks | A famous poet. |
| Anastasia | C. McAdoo | Isaiah's girlfriend. |
| Muzio | Clementi | An Italian composer. |
| Alessandro | Deljavan | An Italian classical pianist. |
| Paul Laurence | Dunbar | A poet who lived in Dayton. |
| Mrs. | Garcia | The sixth-grade counselor. The principal at Izzy's school. |
| Remi | Geniet | A guest piano soloist at Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. |
| Clint | Hammond | Izzy's handsome classmate. |
| Mrs. | Hammond | Clint's mother. |
| Langston | Hughes | A poet. |
| Mr. | Kazilly | Izzy's English and History teacher. Aka: Mr. K. |
| Joyce | Kilmer | An American author. |
| Logan | Lindquist | Izzy's schoolmate. Logan's friend. |
| John Mark | Metzker | Nicole's boyfriend. Aka: Number Seven. |
| Miss | Pearson | Izzy's acquaintance at the homeless shelter. |
| Jason | Reynolds | A famous poet. |
| Madame | Rubenstein | Izzy's piano teacher. |
| Toby | Smythe | Clint and Logan's friend. |
| Nicole Theresa | Thornton | Izzy's mother. |
| Isaiah Maxwell | Thornton III | Izzy's father. |
| Alicia | | Isaiah's friend. |
| Cecil | | Izzy's classmate. |
| Chango | | Isaiah's best friend. |
| Cornelius | | A waiter. |
| Erin | | Rochelle's friend. |
| Fifi | | Anastasia's dog. |
| Gretchen | | Izzy's classmate. |
| Griselda | | A saleslady at the mall store. |
| Heather | | Izzy's friend and classmate. |
| Herbert | | A salesman at party city. |
| Jontay | | Izzy's classmate. |
| Kendi | | Imani's sister. |
| Kevin | | Izzy's classmate. |
| Manuel | | Izzy's classmate. |
| Monique | | Isaiah's friend. |
| Naomi | | Izzy's nurse. |
| Rochelle | | Izzy's classmate. |
| Tiffany | | Izzy's white classmate. |
| Zeke | | The assistant manager at Scatterpin Bowl. |
