Throughout the series, The Life and Times of Theodore Addison will never be about only Theodore. Because we are all influenced by the people around us, the diverse cast of characters will likewise influence each other, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Let's meet them.
A 10-year-old genius who moved to Miracle City, a large Midwestern metropolis, early in 5th grade after dealing with bullying at his former school. Moving gave him a chance to shed the "bad kid" image he'd been developing when fighting his bullies. When he arrived, he and his classmates helped him defend the city from a terrorist attack. (These are the events of another book, The Life and Times of Theodore Addison: My New Home.)
Ted loves engineering and pairs his curiosity with his handyman skills to make new inventions. When he gets advice, Ted likes to sit down and think it through completely. It can, therefore, take him quite a while to make decisions. He can be quite mischievous, as well, but he doesn't tend to be mean-spirited.
Ted's rambunctious 7 year-old brother. Matt is best known for his happy-go-lucky attitude, even in the worst scenarios. Though he knew he was poor growing up, not knowing what he was missing made it easy to see the glass as half-full, unlike his brother.
Matt has the ability to read and connect with people easily, such that he doesn't have enemies. Even Ted's arch-rival Veronica greets Matt with a hug. That said, when he is unable to make someone smile, he takes it as a personal failure. His family struggles, in turn, put more weight on his shoulders to brighten their world.
Veronica moved from Canada about a year ago, when her parents decided to do mission work in the US. This move put a lot of pressure on her because she wasn’t sure how she would be received in America. She adopted a tough exterior to command the respect of her classmates. On the inside, she can be friendly, loving, and loyal, though only a few get to see that side of her.
She is Ted’s foil. She helped him during the terrorist attack, but because they got off on the wrong foot, they are not friends. While she is not as smart as Ted, Veronica is quick-witted, which she often uses to mess with him.
Derrick grew up with Ted and later moved to Miracle City about a year before him, briefly straining their friendship. When he lived in his old hometown, Derrick learned martial arts to defend himself and Ted. In his new school, he finally felt free to be his nerdy self without fear of bullying, and was elated when Ted’s family later moved into his neighborhood. It would be just like old times...
Derrick loves to play video games, read comics, and help Ted on his inventions. His keen eye for detail often saves Ted's ideas before they crash and burn. Derrick tends to be serious and level-headed, but has a funny side few get to see.
Diamond's family moved to Miracle City the summer before her 5th grade year after their juice business took off. After finding that they could pass their business down to Diamond, her mom especially tried to push her into accounting and business studies, but Diamond loves the arts, like music and dance. (Her mom doesn't embrace those subjects.)
She hit it off with Veronica when they both transferred into the school on the same day, and helped each other adjust. She isn’t friends with Ted or Derrick, largely because of Veronica’s influence, but she is not mean-spirited and tries to get along with everybody. Diamond often goes along with Veronica's pranks, but other times she'll dissuade her from doing something too devious.
Yaakov, AKA James moved to the United States from Israel about a half-year before 5th grade, due to Middle-Eastern strife. James' family is an Ethiopian Jewish family that believes in Jesus, making them "Messianic Jews". They faced discrimination because of their religious beliefs from other Jews who questioned the family's Jewish identity, but it was the rocket attacks that made the family move.
James has not adjusted well to America, and tends to self-isolate. If not for Ted and Derrick's insistence, James wouldn't have any friends. He has a hard time coming out of his shell, and hesitates to plant roots, because he pessimistically expects his family to move again.
Bookworm was born and raised in Miracle City, and loves to read just about anything she can get her hands on, from presidential memoirs to goofy adventure books. Because of her avid reading, Amber has encyclopedic knowledge and wisdom beyond her years.
She volunteered as a host for new students at orientation before the start of 5th grade, where she met Veronica, and they soon became friends. But after Veronica found her social circle, Amber got cut out, and to make matters worse, Veronica sometimes even made fun of her. This drove her even more to her books, which served as a distraction from the pain of loneliness.
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