Mayo Cornelius Higgins
Mayo Cornelius Higgins is a boy on the verge of becoming a teenager. He worries about his family’s safety on the mountain where they live. The coal industry has strip mined their mountain and left sludge behind that is threatening to bring part of the mountain down on their house. M.C. is trying to get his family away from the mountain by getting his mother to sing for a man who is taping the voices of the hill people. He believes the man can make her a star. As M.C. begins to mature and feel the connection of the mountain, he begins to think of how to safe the family home rather than abandoning it.
Ben Killburn
Ben Killburn is M.C.’s best friend. He and his family all live on a plain near Sarah’s mountain. Ben’s family is considered witchy because they have red hair and 6 fingers and 6 toes. Ben and M.C. are not allowed to play together so they do so in secret. Ben follows M.C. through the forest so he cannot be seen through the trees.
Banina Higgins
Banina Higgins is M.C.’s mother. She is away from home all day earning money for her family. She leaves early in the morning and comes home late at night. M.C. believes that her voice will be their way off the mountain. She has a beautiful voice that captivates anyone who hears it. She loves her family and does what she must to provide for them. Banina loves the mountain and enjoys the end of the day when she can come home to the mountain and her family.
Jones Higgins
Jones Higgins is M.C.’s father. He is a strong man who works at any job he must to help support his family. He feels a connection to Sarah’s Mountain and does not want to leave. He does not want to believe that the mountain will give way from strip mining and crush his home. He cannot believe that he will lose his home and have to leave Sarah’s Mountain.
Macie Pearl Higgins
Macie Pearl Higgins is M.C.’s sister. She is an independent young girl who looks up to her older brother. She likes to know what is happening and is always listening to what is happening around her.
Lennie Pool Higgins
Lennie Pool Higgins is M.C.’s brother. He talks rarely. He just observes what is around him and lets his brothers and sisters do all the talking.
Harper Higgins
Harper Higgins is M.C.’s brother. He, Macie Pearl, and Lennie are always together.
James K. Lewis
James K. Lewis is traveling the hills recording the voices and songs of the people who live in the hills. He wants to preserve their songs and voices as his father did. He loves Banina’s voice and wishes he could help her become a start.
Lurhetta Outlaw
Lurhetta Outlaw is a seventeen-year old girl who travels by herself to experience the country around her. She carries a large knife for protection and does not trust anyone. Lurhetta becomes friends with M.C. and his family and with Ben Killburn and his family. She enjoys being around the Killburns, which makes M.C. uncomfortable and jealous. M.C. like Lurhetta and is disappointed when she leaves without telling him.
Mr. Killburn
Mr. Killbrurn is Ben’s father. He like his son has six fingers and six toes on each hand and foot. He is seen as witchy by his neighbors who treat him with disdain. Jones Higgins will not touch anything that Mr. Killburn has touched. He makes M.C. deal with Mr. Killburn when he brings ice to their house. The Killburn family is seen as witchy and scares people on the mountain.
Voila Killburn
Viola Killburn is Ben’s mother. Banina Higgins and Viola used to be friends until she saw Viola save a boy’s life without touching him.
Uncle Joe Killburn
Uncle Joe Killburn is Ben’s uncle. He helps Ben’s father deliver ice. M.C. is frightened of the man.
Grandymama Killburn
Grandymama Killburn is Ben Killburn’s grandmother. She is very old and senile. She gives M.C. a cabbage when he visits the Killburn farm.
