List of California Diaries characters
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Contents |
[edit] Main Characters
Dawn Schafer Dawn returned to California to live with her father, her stepmother Carol, and her younger brother Jeff during her eighth grade year. Upon moving to Palo City permanently, Dawn found herself facing several problems. Her friendships were changing, and she felt increasingly on the outs with Carol. She found Carol slightly immature, something which irritated her. When Dawn realized that Carol was pregnant, she felt even further distanced from her family. During Carol's pregnancy, Dawn felt as if she and Jeff were her father's "old family" and Carol and the baby were his "new family" and therefore more important. However, once Dawn's half-sister Elizabeth Grace (Gracie) was born, they did manage to feel slightly more like a family.
Sunny Winslow Sunshine Daydream Winslow has been Dawn's best friend since childhood. Her mother is suffering (and eventually dies) from lung cancer, and her father overworks to try and distract himself from it. She begins to dress in a way that Dawn calls "very... adult" and starts skipping classes. After running away but changing her mind, she continues to be at odds with her father and sad and angry about her mother's eventual fate. Her reactions to these situations also have her at odds with Dawn, who manage to fight on and off. Sunny is closer to Carol than Dawn is, which somewhat irritates Dawn. She is also very close friends with Ducky.
Maggie Blume Maggie is the daughter of Hollywood producer Hayden Blume, something which she resents. She doesn't like to feel as though her father's money or influence makes them better than anyone else. In the regular BSC series, Maggie went through a rebellious phase, but as CD progressed, Maggie's perfectionist personality became more apparent. She's a straight A student who puts tremendous pressure on herself, and often feels as though she can never be good enough to please her parents, her father in particular. Her mother is an alcoholic who spent time in rehab as the series ended, and Maggie herself went through a period of anorexia, which she has gone into therapy for. Her therapist is Dr. Fuentes. She plays the keyboard, writes lyrics, and sings lead in the local band Vanish, hopes to be a veterinarian, and was dating Tyler Kendall at the series end.
Amalia Vargas Amalia was new at Vista High School during eighth grade. Of Latina descent, Amalia lives with her mother, her father, and her older sister, the perfect Isabel (who she nicknames Saint Isabel). Amalia loves art, and often illustrates her journals with caricatures of the people and events that she writes about. She is also the manager of the band Vanish, and dated their guitarist, James Kolady, until James became verbally abusive towards her. After Amalia and James broke up, Amalia began dating Brendan Jones. Amalia went through a period of self-doubt when she encountered two girls who made fun of her because of her race, an experience which hurt her deeply, though her friends and family helped her through it. At the series' end, she was still dating Brendan, and had become good friends with Dawn and Sunny and closest with Maggie.
Ducky McCrae Ducky is older than his friends by two years. His real name is Christopher, though he has been nicknamed Ducky since childhood. Ducky is sixteen and is going into his junior year at Vista. He's distant from his formerly close friends, Jason (or his new nickname Jay) Adams, and Alex Snyder. Jay has begun hanging around with the jocks at school, a group Ducky dislikes and has nicknamed "Cro-Mags," and Alex is severely depressed. Alex tried to commit suicide, and after the attempt left California for Chicago. Now, Ducky's closest friend is Sunny, and by extension Dawn, Maggie, and Amalia. His parents are professors/international business consultants, and spend most of their time traveling. Ducky lives alone at home with only his older brother, Ted, an absentminded college student.
[edit] Supporting Characters
Jill Henderson Jill was once very close with Dawn, Sunny, and Maggie. However, as eighth grade progressed, Jill regressed, much to the annoyance of her friends. She liked to wear childish clothes, such as sweaters with ponies on them, and had an avid interest in teddy bears and troll dolls. Maggie and Sunny lost patience with her first, but Dawn finally turned against her when Jill revealed one of Dawn's personal secrets. Throughout the series, Jill was no longer a part of the group.
James Kodaly James was the guitarist for Vanish, in addition to being Amalia's boyfriend. As their relationship progressed, he became more and more controlling towards Amalia, finally lashing out with verbal abuse. Amalia eventually broke up with him, but James continued to harass her for months afterwards. He was kicked out of Vanish because of his torment of Amalia, and a lot of his former friends have taken Amalia's side against him.
Justin Randall Maggie's love interest before Tyler. He took Maggie out on a few dates, though his interest in her waned when he realized she was anorexic. He eventually took James' place as the guitarist for Vanish and, at the series end, was dating Nancy Mercado.
Jason "Jay" Adams Jay was one of Ducky's childhood best friends, along with Alex Snyder. Recently, Jay has started hanging out with the jocks at school and keeps trying to get Ducky to be with them too, setting him up with girls and trying to play basketball with him. Ducky doesn't like this, so their friendship begins to die off.
Alex Snyder Alex was once Ducky's best friend. His parents are divorced and he lived only with his mom. Though he'd secretly been in therapy for a long time, he still sank into a depression, which escalated to the point of attempted suicide. After his attempt, he moved to Chicago with distant family.
Brendan Jones Brendan is shy and withdrawn. He moved to Palo City about halfway through the year, and quickly made friends with Amalia, a friendship which progressed into a relationship.
Tyler Kendall A movie star who Maggie is dating at the end of the series.
Rico Chavez Rico's grade is never mentioned, though he is an upperclassman. He's the bass guitarist and back-up vocalist for Vanish, and holds the band practices in his garage. He lives with his parents, who are very laid-back and supportive of his music and the band.
Patti and Bruce No last names or grades are mentioned, though it is assumed they are also upperclassmen. Patti is the drummer for Vanish, and Bruce is the back-up guitarist.
Albert Carson Frame Carson is a boy Sunny meets when skipping school at Venice Beach. They become friends, although Carson tells Sunny few personal details. Later Carson reveals he is a runaway, but doesn't explain why. Sunny eventually decides to run away herself, and join Carson, but he turns down her offer and leaves on his own. Sunny then decides not to run away after all, and calls Ducky to drive her home.
Carol Olson Dawn's stepmother, married to Jack and mother of Elizabeth Grace. Provides advice for Sunny at various times in the series, but does not get along with Dawn very well.
Elizabeth "Betsy" Winslow Sunny's mother, possible namesake of Elizabeth Grace. Dies of lung cancer late in the series.
[edit] Minor Characters
Jack Schafer Dawn's father. Lives next-door to the Winslows.
Jeff Schafer Dawn's ten-year-old brother. Closer to Carol than Dawn is, and is mentioned as rather goofy.
Elizabeth Grace Schafer-Olson Dawn's new baby sister, the daughter of Jack Schafer and Carol Olson.
Paul Winslow Sunny's father, owner of Winslow Books.
Hayden Blume Maggie's father. Big-time movie producer, celebrity.
Eileen Blume Maggie's mother. Is known for her alcohol dependency.
Zeke Blume Maggie's younger brother, age 12.
Pilar The Blumes' housekeeper/chef.
Ted McCrae Ducky's 21-year-old brother and legal guardian in their parents' absence.
Isabel Vargas Amalia's older sister.
Peg Lewis Mentioned briefly as a new friend of Jill's.
Nancy Mercado Nancy dated Justin Randall, and is casual friends with Amalia Vargas.
CeCe de Farge Was briefly a friend of Amalia's.
Marina Kodaly A friend of Amalia's, and also James' younger sister. She and CeCe stopped hanging out with Amalia once James and Amalia broke up.
Dr. Merwin Sunny's mother's main doctor.
Piper Klein Runs the HCA Animal Shelter where Maggie works.
Mandy Richards An upperclassman who appeared only in the first book, as a character who targeted Dawn and gave her a hard time after Dawn accidentally tried to open Mandy's locker, thinking it was hers.
Rowena Frank Briefly mentioned as being the class president.
Christina McDonnell An upperclassman, once hired Vanish through Amalia to play at the school formal.
Lucinda Dayton, Dakota Wilde, Polly Guest Their names were mentioned as being classmates of Dawn's, but no other information is offered.
Janice Bradford, Dustin Schmidt Were mentioned as classmates of Dawn's and Sunny's, best friends.
Amy Clay, Barry Clay Were also mentioned as classmates; their father runs a concession stand at the Palo City Beach.
Alana Mr. Schafer dated her mother, Kayla, with disastrous results; she and her friends are brainy show-offs.
Leann A girl that Ducky (unknowingly) gets into a blind date with, set up by Jay.
[edit] Vista Staff
Mr. Dean
Principal of Vista.
Ms. Kreuger
10th grade teacher, formerly Ducky's. Described as relatively cool. Upperclassmen held a party at her house on a weekend when she was out of town. She later promised to keep close eye on Dawn, Ducky, and Sunny after the three were found at the scene.
Ms. Whalen
Sunny's actively disliked math teacher.
Mr. Hackett
Sunny's actively disliked homeroom teacher.
[edit] From the BSC Ultimate Guide
NOTE: These characters are from the Baby-Sitters' Club Ultimate Guide, and appear in Dawn (and, in Super Special #5, the rest of the BSC)'s trips to California. Therefore, in the sense of an "extended universe" canon, they can be considered part of the series, although they are not specifically mentioned in the California Diaries series.
Katie Bear
Beats Dawn in the beginners' surf tournament.
Ellen Bliemer
Former(?) friend of Sunny's, Dawn's, Jill's and Maggie's who likes to play practical jokes.
Joe Luhan
Old classmate of Dawn's.
Tom Swanson
Old classmate of Dawn's; she grew up with him and Joe; has "eyebrows that look like caterpillars".
Alana Becker
16; part of the "surfer crowd"; hung out with Stacey. Might be the same Alana from "Minor Characters".
Carter Pape
17; part of the "surfer crowd"; hung out with Stacey.
Rosemary Tanner
16; part of the "surfer crowd"; hung out with Stacey. Was caught in the riptide at one point and saved by lifeguards.
Paul Rapkin
17; part of the "surfer crowd"; hung out with Stacey. Father is Dr. Rapkin, who plays tennis with Dawn's father.
Dan
Stacey's first surfboard instructor.
Beau
Surfer dude who should've been named "Wild"; friends are Paul, Carter, Alana, and Rosemary; hung out with Stacey.
Tom Murphy
Boy on high school track team; plans a Halloween party; does lots of "Good Samaritan" deeds.
Sondra
Helper at the beach daycare program.
Terry
Intellectual boy for whom Claudia falls; good looking with jet-black hair, dark eyes, and a serious, handsome face; lives between the beach and Dawn's house; has two brothers, one older and one younger; both parents are lawyers; loves school; hobby is reading; recently won a district-wide science fair; has gotten hooked on Woody Allen.
Toby
Boy on high school track team with long brown hair.
