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Quotes
Annie
Annie is an Indigenous girl from northwest Australia who lives on Boss’s station (livestock ranch) with Mum, Auntie Adie, Grandpa Mick, Grandma Rosy, and baby sister. But while her mother…
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Janey
Janey is a child at the residential school who is Tim’s older sister and who becomes Annie’s best friend. Janey is a talkative, gregarious, and outgoing child who wants to be friends with…
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Tim
Tim is Janey’s younger brother. He came to the school at a very young age—before Janey—so he doesn’t remember his family at all. But Janey is convinced he’s her brother because she recognizes the…
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Nancy
Nancy is a child who lives at the residential school. Originally from northwest Australia, she professes to prefer other children who come from the same area, like Emmy, Dot, and Annie, but…
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Teacher
Teacher works at the residential school where Annie, Janey, Tim and the other children live. She is vicious and cruel and likes to publicly shame and punish the children. She also dives wedges…
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Minor Characters
Nurse
Nurse works at the residential school where Annie, Janey, Tim and the other children live. She initially fails to take Janey’s illness seriously, and then when Janey becomes deathly ill, Nurse refuses to allow Annie and Tim to visit her. Later she regrets her actions.
Aunty Adie
Auntie Adie is Annie’s aunt. She works as a housekeeper for Boss. Aunty Adie teaches Annie an important lesson about protecting herself from the dislike and abuse of others by keeping her true self, or her “inside” face, hidden behind a blank “outside face.”
Emmy
Emmy is a child at the residential school. She is originally from the northwest of Australia and is friends with Nancy, Dot, Janey, and Annie.
Dot
Dot is a child at the residential school. She is originally from the northwest of Australia and is friends with Nancy, Emmy, Janey, and Annie.
Reverend Dale
Reverend Dale is the priest who accompanies Annie from Boss’s station to the far-off port where the residential school is located.
Mum
Mum is Annie’s mother. Because she works at the out-camp (in the hinterlands of the livestock ranch), she isn’t there when the policeman takes Annie from Boss’s house.
Policeman
The policeman is the government authority who takes Annie from Boss’s house and turns her over to Reverend Dale.
Boss
Boss is the White man who owns the station (livestock ranch) on which Annie, Mum, Grandpa Mick, Grandma Rosy, and Aunty Adie live and work.
Margy
Margy was a girl who lived at the residential school and was friends with Janey. Before Annie arrives, Margy turns 14 and is sent to work as a servant in someone’s home.
Grandpa Mick
Grandpa Mick is Annie’s grandfather. He is known in the family for his jokes.
Grandma Rosy
Grandma Rosy is Annie’s grandmother and one of the family’s storytellers.
