Rose
The narrator and main character of This One Summer, Rose arrives in Awago as her life begins to change. Once a child, Rose's interest in boys begins to rapidly develop. Perhaps most importantly, though, Rose starts to learn about the struggles that people face in their relationships and in several life events. And because of this, Rose rapidly matures and grows as a person.
Windy
One of Rose's best summer friends, Windy goes through many of the same changes that Rose goes through throughout This One Summer. Windy is, according to Rose, the little sister that she never had. Like Rose, Windy must also deal with drama surrounding her parents and must deal with a number of adult issues like sex, abortion, and the disappointment of adults around her. Also like Rose, Windy must quickly grow and mature over the course of the summer they spend at Awago.
Alice
Rose's mother, Alice is one of the major characters in the book and is Rose's mother. Over the course of the summer they spend at Awago, Alice's life begins to unravel. Because of her infertility issues and subsequent miscarriages, Alice is incredibly depressed and wallows in her misery. Alice, however, saves a teenager called Jenny from drowning in a nearby lake.
