<Ul> <Li> Jamie is a "show - off and a clown". While he can be exasperating, his adventurous and resourceful nature earns the admiration of his best friend . </Li> <Li> The narrator, Jamie's appreciative audience and partner in fun, enjoys their friendship, even if, at times, Jamie can go too far . </Li> <Li> Heather, with red - gold hair, is the closest friend of both Jamie and the narrator . </Li> <Li> Jamie's mother cares for a family of three, including Jamie, four - year - old Martha, and an infant son . </Li> <Li> The narrator's mother and father care for the narrator and a college - age daughter who is away at summer camp as a counselor . They also have a son who is grown and married . </Li> <Li> Mrs. Houser, Jamie's next door neighbor, is tyrannical when it comes to her perfect lawn . The children in the neighborhood avoid her, and her lawn, if they possibly can . </Li> <Li> Mrs. Mullins' "secret garden" is off limits to most of the children in the neighborhood . The narrator feels privileged to be an exception, mainly because Mrs. Mullins and his mother are friends . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Jamie is a "show - off and a clown". While he can be exasperating, his adventurous and resourceful nature earns the admiration of his best friend . </Li> <Li> The narrator, Jamie's appreciative audience and partner in fun, enjoys their friendship, even if, at times, Jamie can go too far . </Li> <Li> Heather, with red - gold hair, is the closest friend of both Jamie and the narrator . </Li>

Book where kid gets stung by bees and dies