, ▁and ▁this ▁first ▁volume ▁created ▁the ▁framework ▁that ▁each ▁subsequent ▁volume ▁has ▁followed ▁thus ▁far . ▁Each ▁volume ▁contains : ▁ ▁Ex actly ▁ 8 8 0 ▁pages ▁divided ▁into ▁ 3 0 ▁chap ters ▁ ▁Front ▁matter ▁detail ▁including ▁two ▁pages ▁of ▁advert is ements ▁from ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁The ▁Famil iar ▁ ▁Three ▁pre views ▁( ak in ▁to ▁TV ▁pre views ) ▁in ▁a ▁section ▁called , ▁" New ▁This ▁Season " ▁ ▁Five ▁acts ▁ ▁Five ▁entr ' act es ▁ ▁One ▁GC ▁episode ▁and ▁one ▁T MD ▁episode ▁ ▁A ▁final ▁dedic ation ▁( ak in ▁to ▁TV ▁cred its ) ▁ ▁A ▁final ▁sequence ▁involving ▁an ▁animal ▁The ▁chap ters ▁have ▁their ▁own ▁structure ▁as ▁well . ▁Since ▁there ▁are ▁nine ▁different ▁main ▁characters ▁that ▁take ▁turns ▁narr ating ▁the ▁story ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁person , ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁nine ▁narr atives ▁is ▁indicated ▁with ▁a ▁different ▁font ▁and ▁a ▁different ▁colored ▁dog - ear ▁in ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁each ▁page . ▁ ▁Main ▁characters ▁X an ther ▁I bra him : ▁a ▁twelve - year - old ▁girl ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁with ▁ep ile ps y . ▁Luther ▁Pere z : ▁ ▁a ▁Mexican - American ▁gang ▁member ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁An war ▁I bra him : ▁X an ther ' s ▁( step ) father , ▁a ▁black ▁Egypt ian - American ▁video ▁game ▁designer . ▁J ing j ing : ▁a ▁drug ▁add ict ▁in ▁Singapore ▁who ▁ass ists ▁T ian ▁Li