Characters: Iris

The little sister. Iris Blackstripe is lively and outgoing, but also has an introspective streak that peeks out from time to time. Creative and imaginative, she loves to paint and draw and make up stories. Her wild imagination can sometimes get her into trouble, but it’s not with malicious intent– she just gets caught up in what she’s doing and doesn’t think things through. She doesn’t feel like she completely fits in, especially with the kids in the neighborhood where she grew up, a subdivision with rows of beige houses as far as the eyes can see (Subdivision Glen). The Subdivision Glen kids all think she’s a little too out there for them. She sometimes worries that there is something wrong with her, and wonders where her place is in the world. Can be pesky, especially with her older sister, Jane. Like a typical little sister, she gets a kick out of driving Jane crazy, and will go out of her way to pick on her. She is rocked by grief after her father’s sudden death– she was daddy’s girl, and he was the only one in the family who even remotely understood her. During this time, she heavily relies on Sid, the plush stuffed unicorn that her father bought her after she was born. The two of them go on adventures together. When she moves to the new neighborhood, she absolutely loves it: the houses have different colors, with gardens out front, and you can have any kind of mailbox you want, which was a big no-no in the subdivision. She meets all kinds of people there, including a new friend, Simon Dewclaw.