Look Both Ways Characters

Brutus is the rottweiler who, several years before “Satchmo’s Master Plan” takes place, bit Satchmo on the leg. Though Brutus was huge and bit Satchmo, Satchmo also wonders sometimes if perhaps his owner, Ms. Adams, was the real mean one—if she was guarding Brutus, rather than Brutus guarding her.

Mr. Fantana is the life sciences teacher at Latimer Middle School.

Ms. Macy is TJ’s “new mother”; she’s been his guardian for the last six years and became his guardian about the time he moved to Marston Street. Ms. Macy is kind to both TJ and Jasmine. She habitually asks them how school was, and what they learned each day.

Trey is a bully at Latimer Middle School whom Bit knocked out for teasing John John. Trey also joins in bullying Ty.

Ms. Broome is an English teacher at Latimer Middle School. On the day the stories take place, she’s assigned her students to write about what it would be like to be an inanimate object.

Bit’s mother, Ms. Burns, has cancer and has recently relapsed. On the day “The Low Cuts Strike Back” takes place, she’s just had her first chemotherapy treatment, so the Low Cuts have spent their afternoons selling candy to get money to buy her ice cream.

Ms. Lane is the guidance counselor at Latimer Middle School.

Fawn is the only other female skater at Latimer Middle School, aside from Pia. The girls don’t know each other well, but like Pia, Fawn is quiet and reserved.

Santi was Pia’s sister; she’s deceased in the story’s present. Two years before the events in “Skitter Hitter,” Santi died when a boy pushed her into oncoming traffic because he was jealous of how good of a skater Santi was.

Marcus’s mom runs a hair salon where Pia occasionally gets her hair done. Her partner, Marcus’s dad, is physically abusive—at one point, two years before the events in “Skitter Hitter,” Pia’s mom encouraged Marcus’s mom to leave before he kills her.

Pia’s mom only appears briefly in “Skitter Hitter,” but she seems to care deeply for the safety and wellbeing of people in her community. Reeling after her daughter Santi’s sudden death, Pia’s mom tries to encourage Marcus’s mom to leave her physically abusive partner before he kills her.

Bryson’s mom allows him to stay home from school the day after Slim and some other boys beat him up.

Bryson’s dad allows him to stay home the day after Slim and some other boys beat him up.

Mr. Davanzo is the social studies teacher at Latimer Middle School.

Fredo owns the corner store on Chestnut Street, which is dark and always smells terrible. He seems to have a genial relationship with Kenzi and Simeon, though he doesn’t speak as though he believes the boys are ever going to make anything of themselves.

Chucky is Simeon’s older brother; he drives the ice cream truck in the neighborhood. Though he stole a car a few years ago, his best friend and Kenzi’s brother, Mason, went to prison for the crime.

Clancy was Satchmo’s best friend before he moved a few years ago. The boys were playing football when Brutus bit Satchmo, and Clancy didn’t help or defend Satchmo at all. Years later, Clancy’s inaction still hurts Satchmo.

Inspired by Brutus biting Satchmo, Satchmo’s mom is attending school to become a vet. She works as an office assistant at a vet’s office, encourages people to get dogs, and tries to teach Satchmo how to act around dogs.

Mrs. Stevens is a math teacher at Latimer Middle School. To keep Cynthia from interrupting and derailing class, Mrs. Stevens allows Cynthia to perform standup comedy during the last five minutes of the period.