Book Characters

Hope JaNay Boone
Nickname: Lil’ Bit

Hope JaNay Boone (9 years old). Societal Ill- Symbolism prejudice. She represents being pre-judged by society due to the way she looks, and the color of her skin. Color Yellow. Nickname is Lil’ Bit. She is the fifth and youngest child born to Cynthia. She is her miracle child. Lil’ Bit gets the color of yellow, the color of hope. Yellow is such a warm, loving color. Yellow represents life. She’s the sunflower in her family’s life.

Cherise LaShay Boone
Nickname: Cherri

Cherise LaShay Boone (14 years old). Societal Ill: Living in an impoverished neighborhood stifles her dream of being a pediatrician. Poverty, and a poorly funded school system. Her color is red. Nickname Cherri. She is the fourth child born to Cynthia. Cherri is just like her name announces. She’s bright and cheerful. She has a mane of thick, red bushy hair, and her skin has a glowing, reddish-coppery hue. She has a round pie face, small gapped teeth and full lips that produce a big smile and yet her confidence manufactures even bigger dreams. Cherri wants to be a pediatrician. Cherri is given the color red, a red that is bold and confident. Cherri has what the old folks call an “old soul.” This old soul directs her passions and desires towards becoming a doctor.

Destinee Shaunte’ Boone
Nickname: Peaches

Destinee Shaunte’ Boone (15 years old). Societal Ill: Low self-esteem. Her color is pink. Nickname: Peaches. She is the third child born to Cynthia. Shortly after Peaches was born, Cyn remembers holding that honey-colored small body to her bosom, her face appearing so angelic. How could that sweet-looking baby grow up and be so full of selfishness and conceited? Pink is light and airy—a princess. Cute, sweet and the universal love of one’s self.

Cathy Cynnamon Boone
Nickname: Cynammon

Cathy Cynnamon Boone (18 years old). Societal Ill: Teenage Pregnancy. Her color is green. Nickname: Cynammon. She is Cynthia’s second born and the eldest girl. She loves clothes and experimenting with hairstyles. Cynnamon is like the color green. She is youthful and vigorous, but not quite ripe or mature. Cynnamon is deficient in training, knowledge, and experience. She’s like new grass. She has a lot more growing and maturing to do.

Christopher Charles Boone
Nickname: Boona

Christopher Charles Boone (19). Societal Ill: Gang-banging. His color is purple. Nickname: Boona. Cynthia’s eldest and only son. Purple means authority. He doesn’t have his father in his life. His father succumbed to gun violence. So he has an unsurmountable task to help his mom take care and protect his younger sisters. However, living in the hood, he became a product of his environment. Will he continue on the short road or get off and take the longer path? Boona carries a huge responsibility on his shoulders being the young man of the house, and he tries to shield his younger sisters from harm and danger. He has a rank of authority being the only male and first-born.

Cynthia Cromwell Boone
Nickname: Can

Cynthia Cromwell Boone (Mother). Societal Ill: Alcoholism. Nickname: Cyn. Her color is Blue. Blue means love and security. Cynthia is a single mom. She married and subsequently divorced at a young age. Her ex-husband was killed at age 25. She was left to care for her two small children by herself. She is a hopeless romantic and party girl who doesn’t have a real plan to improve her and her children’s living situation. She has made very poor choices in men, and ended up with a collection of baby daddies living in the hood. She believes her only way out is for the man of her dreams to rescue them.

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