Anyone who nicknames himself the Great Brain and constantly refers to his "great brain" (no citation here, because we do mean constantly) clearly doesn't lack confidence or cleverness. And so it is...

J.D. is our narrator, and also Tom's younger brother. Looking up at Tom, J.D. admires him even as he questions his brother's motives. He wants to stop Tom, and he wants to be Tom. In other words, h...

The eldest of the Fitzgerald boys, Sweyn is going on twelve. While he still plays with Tom and J.D. quite a bit and even teaches J.D. to swim, he has one foot in the adult world. He's not part of T...

As was common for middle-class women in 1896, Mamma's job is to care for her home and family. As the long-suffering mother of three rambunctious boys and wife to a man who has a practical career bu...

Papa is the editor of the town newspaper, the Adenville Weekly Advocate. J.D. explains: I thought Papa was the greatest man in the world except for one weakness. Papa just couldn't resist ordering...

Aunt Bertha is the extra member in the Fitzgerald household: "She wasn't really our aunt, but we called her Aunt Bertha because she was just like one of the family" (1.29). We know very little abou...

Uncle MarkUncle Mark is married to Papa's sister, Aunt Cathie. He is the town marshal and a deputy sheriff, which makes him super cool in the Fitzgerald boys' eyes. Also he gives great birthday pre...

Aunt CathieAunt Cathie is Papa's sister, but she appears in the book only once and never says a word. She is notable mainly for being married to Uncle Mark, who is the town's marshal, and way cool...