| Mrs. | Abernathy | One of Cussy's library patrons. |
| Loretta | Adams | One of Cussy's library patrons. Aka: Retta. |
| Susan B. | Anthony | American women's rights activist. |
| Marie | Antoinette | The last Queen of France. |
| Gracie | Banks | A postmistress. |
| Caroline | Barnes | A widow. |
| Mr. | Barrie | Scottish novelist and playwright. |
| Mr. | Baxter | Agnes' acquaintance. |
| Mr. | Beck | Ruth's father. |
| Gordon | Brown | A miner. |
| Pearl S. | Buck | American writer and novelist. |
| William | Butler Yeasts | Irish poet. |
| Cussy Mary | Carter | Elijah's daughter. A Park Horse librarian. Aka: Bluet. |
| Elijah | Carter | A coal miner. Aka: Pa. |
| Irvin | Cobb | American author, humorist, editor and columnist. |
| Hallie | Cole | R.C. Cole's mother. The first female fire watcher in Kentucky. |
| R.C. | Cole | One of Cussy's library patrons. |
| Adams | Dalton | Troublesome's banker. |
| Bette | Davis | American actress. |
| H. L. | Davis | American novelist. |
| Lila | Dawson | A blind widowed woman who has raised four babies. |
| Charles | Dickens | English writer and social critic. |
| Flynn | Evans | One of Cussy's library patrons. |
| Mr. | Evans | Patrick's father. |
| Lucy | Fitch Perkins | American illustrator and writer of children's book. |
| Mrs. | Flynn | Timmy's mother. |
| Timmy | Flynn | A library patron. |
| Eula | Foster | The head librarian of the Pack Horse Library. |
| Charlie | Frazier | Cussy's husband. |
| Vester | Frazier | A Pastor. |
| Pell | Gardner | One who gave tips on whittling. |
| Wilfred | Gibson | British Georgian poet associated with World War II. |
| Benny | Goodman | American clarinetist and bandleader. |
| Mr. | Hamilton | A reputable water witch. |
| Martha | Hannah | One of Cussy's library patrons. |
| Harriett | Hardin | The bookbinder and assistant librarian supervisor. |
| Hewitt | Hartman | Cussy's suitor. |
| Aldous | Huxley | English writer and philosopher. |
| Laura | Ingalls Wilder | An American writer. |
| Queenie | Johnson | Negro Pack Horse librarian. |
| Davies | Kimbo | A sheriff. |
| David Herbert | Lawrence | An English writer and poet. |
| Cory | Lincoln | Harriett's cousin. |
| Jackson | Lovett | Cussy's new patron. |
| Comfort | Marshall | Henry's mother. |
| Emma | McCain | An old midwife. |
| Michael | McKinney | Cussy's acquaintance. |
| Randall | Mills | A mountain doctor. |
| Angeline | Moffit | One of Cussy's library patrons. |
| Willie | Moffit | Angeline's husband. |
| Howard | Moore | A coal miner. |
| Lucy | Moore | British-born historian and writer. |
| Johnny | Moses | Agnes's old rented horse. |
| Mable | Moss | Eula's acquaintance. |
| Mr. | Moss | Mable's husband. |
| Mr. | Murphy | Owner of horses and cattles. |
| Lena | Nofcier | Chairman of the librarian service for the Kentucky PTA. |
| Miss | Palmer | Dr. Miles secretary. |
| Winnie | Parker | The schoolmistress. |
| Mr. | Patchett | Queenie's boss. |
| Pablo | Picasso | Spanish painter. |
| Constance | Poole | Head of the sewing bee club. |
| Mr. | Prine | One of Cussy's library patrons. |
| Abby Green | Rockefeller | American socialite and philanthropist. |
| Eleanor | Roosevelt | Former First Lady of the United States. |
| Franklin D. | Roosevelt | 32nd U.S. President. |
| Nester | Rylie | Martha Hannah's acquaintance. |
| Devil John | Smith | Martha Hannah's husband. |
| John | Steinbeck | American author. |
| Lee | Sturgil | A coal miner. |
| Oren | Taft | One of the library patrons. |
| Allen | Thompson | Kimbo's acquaintance. |
| Mrs. | Vance | Harriett's acquaintance. |
| Bold | Venture | Kentucky Derby winner. |
| Jonah | White | A miner. |
| Aaron | | Queenie's son. |
| Abigail | | Patrick's wife. |
| Agnes | | Pa's acquaintance. |
| Albert | | Winnie's husband. |
| Aletha | | Doc's housekeeper. |
| Alonzo | | Loretta Adams's nephew. |
| Bib | | A horse. |
| Bill | | A postmaster. |
| Birdie | | A young Pack Horse librarian. Aka: Bird Nest. |
| Carson | | One of Marthe Hannah's children. |
| Clementine | | One of the students. |
| Colleen | | One of Martha Hannah's children. |
| Colton | | A hard-working miner. Pa's uncle. |
| Daniel | | Pa's older brother. |
| Doreen | | A nun. |
| Eldon | | Cussy's uncle. |
| Franklin | | Queenie's husband. |
| Gibson | | The mayor. |
| Henry | | One of the students. |
| Honey | | The name of Angeline's child. Aka: Mei Li. |
| Horace | | The sheriff's deputy. |
| Junia | | An old mule. |
| Junior | | One of Martha Hannah's children. |
| Lawsy | | One of Martha Hannah's children. |
| Lettie | | One of Martha Hannah's children. |
| Lucy | | One of the students. |
| Lydia | | Doc's late wife. |
| Margie | | Judge's wife. |
| Maude | | Queenie's rented horse. |
| Maybelle | | A cow. |
| Milkweed | | One of Loretta Adams' cats. |
| Minnie | | Angeline's acquaintance. |
| Myrtle | | One of Loretta Adams' cats. |
| Nessie | | One of the students. |
| Norton | | One of the students. |
| Patrick | | Mrs. Evans son. |
| Paul | | Birdie's horse. |
| Ruth | | R.C. Cole's girlfriend. |
| Sallie | | Patrick and Abigail's daughter. |
| Samuel | | Birdie's coming son. |
| Scott | | Doc's acquaintance. |
| Thomas | | A doctor. Aka: Doc. |
| William | | A child collecting berries. |
| Willow | | Queenie's grandmother. |
