The Crew

ALLISON GREEN

Age: 12
Grade: 7th grade
Lives: In a neat yellow house near Mrs. Carrie’s store
Family: Mom, Dad, and a younger sister named Molly

Allison’s house is small but tidy. Her mom works mornings at the clinic. Her dad works long shifts at the hardware shop. They’re good parents, but busy ones, so Allison learned early how to take care of things herself. She keeps her room clean, her schoolwork done, and her backpack organized in a way that would scare most adults.

Molly looks up to her, which Allison pretends to find annoying, but she doesn’t fool anyone. Allison teaches her games, fixes her hair before school, and walks her across the street even though Molly says she’s “not a baby.”

At home, Allison is the one who double-checks the stove and locks the door at night. She tries hard to keep her family steady, and that makes her steady with the Crew too. Solving mysteries gives her a feeling she doesn’t get anywhere else — a feeling that the world can make sense if you work at it.

Who she is:
Strong-minded. Caring. Hard on herself. The kind of kid who leads because she feels like someone has to.

JAKE SPARKS

Age: 11
Grade: 6th grade
Lives: Old farmhouse on Blackbird Lane
Family: Dad, older brother (Luke), twin brother (Caleb), younger sister (Emma)

Jake’s world is loud, busy, and full of movement. The house creaks, dogs bark, and tools scatter everywhere. He fits right into the noise. Jake and Caleb share a room, a birthday, and most of their adventures. Jake likes to say he’s “older by nine minutes,” and he reminds Caleb of it any chance he gets.

Even with all his wild energy, Jake is gentle with Emma. She follows him around like a shadow, and he slows down for her without thinking about it. He teaches her how to skip rocks and shows her which frogs are safe to pick up. She thinks he’s unstoppable, so Jake tries hard to be.

He helps around the house when he remembers, but his mind is always on the next big idea. Jake rushes in, grins through most problems, and always has the Crew’s back.

Who he is:
Brave, messy, loud, and full of heart — the bold half of the twins and the spark that gets the Crew moving.

CALEB SPARKS

Age: 11
Grade: 6th grade
Lives: Same farmhouse as Jake
Family: Dad, older brother (Luke), twin brother (Jake), younger sister (Emma)

Caleb is the quiet twin. He doesn’t fight for space because he doesn’t need to. He listens, watches, and writes everything down. Jake creates noise; Caleb gives it shape. Their room is split down the middle — Jake’s side a disaster, Caleb’s side neat — and Caleb can find anything on both.

He reads to Emma at night and helps his dad sort tools. He notices things before anyone else, from footprints to moods. His notebooks started as a hobby and became a habit. His mom saves them because she knows they matter.

Caleb grounds the Crew. He doesn’t try to lead, but he keeps everyone steady just by being there.

Who he is:
Quiet, thoughtful, observant — the heart of the twins and the Crew’s memory keeper.

ALEX KILGORE

Age: 11
Grade: 6th grade
Lives: House near the woods, west side of town
Family: Mom, Dad, and his grandpa who stays with them

Alex’s yard looks like a workshop exploded. Buckets, metal parts, old radios, stray wires — things most people would throw out but Alex sees as “materials.” His parents are patient, but the one who truly gets him is his grandpa.

Grandpa Kilgore used to fix farm machines around town. Now he teaches Alex how gears work, how to sand wood without splintering it, and how to “use your brain before your hands.” The problem is Alex uses both at the same time, which leads to strange inventions and half-finished projects leaning in corners.

He spends a lot of time outside near the woods, collecting things for ideas he may or may not remember later. His room is filled with drawings, tools, jars, and exactly one working invention: a flashlight taped to a stick.

Alex wants to understand why things happen. Not in a bragging way. In a curious way, like the world is a puzzle just waiting for someone to notice its loose pieces.

Who he is:
Bright. Eager. Awkward in a sweet way. The Crew’s thinker and fixer, even when his “fixes” are questionable.

GABE NEFF

Age: 12
Grade: 7th grade
Lives: Small house between the Sparks’ place and town
Family: Mom, older sister (Riley), and a rotating group of cousins who visit often

Gabe’s house is small but full of noise. His mom works from home, so Gabe has to “keep the volume under ten,” which he never remembers until she yells it from the kitchen. Riley is in HIGH school and claims she’s “too old for his nonsense,” but she still brings him snacks when she thinks no one is looking.

Cousins show up on weekends and holidays. The place is always crowded. Cards on the table. Towels on the porch rail. Someone cooking. Someone yelling for someone else. Gabe thrives in it. He likes people. He likes stories. He likes noise.

This makes him the Crew’s mood-lifter. If things get tense, Gabe breaks it. If someone is upset, Gabe sees it first. He believes the world is fun until proven otherwise, and even then he argues with the proof.

Who he is:
Friendly. Loud. Loyal. A spark of life in every scene. The Crew’s energy and accidental comedian.

*Ages shown reflect the crew at the start of the series (Book 1).