Isa

Isa is 12-years-old and enjoys playing the violin and spending time with her twin sister, Jessie. They also enjoy cooking meals for their family together despite the frequent complaints of Oliver about the quality of their culinary skills. Isa is often the ringleader of the siblings’ plans and she is growing and maturing out of the childish activities she once enjoyed with Jessie. For example, Isa is beginning to be interested in boys and a main conflict in the novel arises when Jessie’s jealousy about Isa being invited to the eighth-grade dance without her causes her to conceal information about Benny’s invitation and leads to a long-lasting feud between the girls.

At the close of the novel, Isa and the rest of the siblings learn that the catalyst for Mr. Beiderman’s decision not to renew their lease came from Isa’s frequent violin playing on...