Paws & Tales - Meet the Characters
Paws & Tales is set in the fictional town of Wildwood, at the base of Wild Mountain and about two miles east of the "Bay of Tranquility". In particular is a group of children named "The Club" – C.J., Staci, Ned, Gooz, and Marsha – and their clubhouse, "The Fortress."
Main characters
C.J. Brown The central character for most of the stories. He is a gregarious, fun-loving, nine-year-old bear cub who loves to be in charge. Unlike all the other cubs, he has one blue eye — his left — through which he has trouble seeing clearly. He’s a sensitive, vulnerable cub who has sought to make the most of his disability by making himself the butt of his own jokes.
Paw Paw Chuck Wildwood’s handyman, whose day-to-day trade is done at Paw Paw’s Fix-it-Shop. His main occupation, though, is providing guidance and spiritual wisdom to the townspeople of Wildwood. He has been married to Nana Cindy for almost 30 years. Having no grandchildren of their own, they have become “adopted” grandparents to many of the kids of the town.
Staci Clemmer She's a dramatic, rough-and-tumble cub who’s as brave as a lion — afraid of nothing. She has a keen sense of humor, but unlike C.J., she has a more difficult time laughing at herself. Staci is an excellent problem solver, and she is kind and compassionate. She is famous in the town for welcoming new settlers to Wildwood with a plate of homemade chocolate-chip cookies.
Ned Cleaver (Beaver) C.J.’s best friend and the smartest one of the bunch. His intellect is also occasionally a stumbling block. He and C.J. finish each other’s sentences and stick together as the only boys in The Club.
Pinkie Gongoozler (Weasel) Nicknamed “Gooz” she is an insatiably curious and fascinated by anything out of the ordinary, she is easily distracted. Her off-the-wall observations keep the members of The Club on their toes. Gooz is also a very talented artist, who, beneath her goofiness, has great wisdom and insight. She is from a large family that is not financially well off, but that does not stop her from seeing the best in life and others. Her siblings include Willie, Ricky, Francie, and at least two others.
Marsha Moffet (Moose) A young calf in the middle of a terribly awkward growth spurt — she’s all legs and not much grace. Marsha is the most tenderhearted of the bunch, and accordingly, she has compassion to spare. She is also a championship-level speller.
Other Characters
Miss Harbor (Deer) The kids' school teacher is noted for her devotion to being a good educator, and her sometimes unorthodox teaching style which included once teaching History while wearing a suit of armour.
Nana Cindy (Bear) Paw-paw Chuck's wife.
Pastor Flint (Bear) The minster of the local church (of no specified denomination), he is also Cindy's father and father-in-law of Paw-Paw Chuck.
Timothy Owl (Hoot Owl) A shifty character who often causes trouble for C.J. and the others by giving bad or misleading advice. Timothy is usually instigated his "boss"; who is a shadowy character that lives in a nearby cave and seems to have sinister plans for the kids and the town. Timothy is clearly afraid of his boss, and the reason why he serves him is not clear.
Miss Helga Grissel (Wolf) Miss Harbor's former teacher, who sometimes substitutes for her. Unlike Miss Harbour she she is unfriendly and very strict, therefore she is unpopular with the kids. Years ago she had been forced to leave the school after being falsely accused in an incident involving a student.
Mrs. Collins (Bear) A widow who lives in a large mansion with many rooms. Her husband has been a famous archaeologist who brought back many artifacts from his expeditions, most of which are uncatalogued and stored in several rooms of the house. The kids are often allowed in to explore and examine the artifacts. She is unaware of the two rats who live among the collection.
Hugh McClaw (Wildcat) One of the kids school mates, and a bully, who takes particular pleasure in teasing C.J. about his bad eye, calling him "Cyclops". He is confused about the club's devotion to their faith, though on at least one occasion he did consider joining the club, but eventually declined. It is hinted that Hugh may have a troubled home life that may contribute to his bullying behaviour.
Tiffany Rockler Another schoolmate, Tiffany is the daughter of Mr. Rockler, the richest man in town. Tiffany is vain, egotistical and insensitive and frequently tries to use her family's money and social status to get what she wants.
Mr. Rockler The only millionaire in Wildwood, has many business interests including the railroad. He is also C.J.'s father's employer.
Ezra (Sheepdog) A sheepherder who lives outside of town, an old friend of Paw-paw Chuck.