Suzy Ann McCarthy

Suzy Ann McCarthy is the main protagonist of Jane Yolen's Short Novel, Suzy and Leah. She is the best friend of Leah Shoshanna Hershkowitz, the book's secondary protagonist.
In the early draft of the book, it is September 1944 and World War II is raging. Suzy is giving oranges to the refugee kids who have escaped from Nazi-Occupied Europe. One of the refugee kids is Leah Shoshanna Hershkowitz, a Jewish girl who escaped a Nazi Concentration Camp. At first, Suzy doesn't think much of Leah do to the fact that she is always feeling down and never is happy. 
Later in the book, Suzy has to go to school with Leah and is put in the same class as her. Suzy's teacher, Mr. Forrest, pairs Suzy up with Leah in order to help teach her English. Then, Suzy finds it difficult to work with Leah because Leah is never happy, Suzy in fact describes Leah as "Prickly as a porcupine." Suzy then asks for another kid to work with but Mr. Forrest refuses and says Suzy has to help Leah because she is the best English Student. Suzy then learns Leah's name and tries to laugh about it but with Leah upset, it is to no avail. Later when Suzy tries to give Leah candy and fruits, Leah strongly refuses it.
Later in the book, Leah gets ill in her stomach and Suzy and her mother go to visit Leah in the hospital. Suzy refuses to let Leah have her green dress even if it doesn't fit her anymore. Then Suzy reads Leah's diary and realizes how much Leah suffered from losing her family in a Nazi Concentration Camp during the Holocaust. Suzy then apologizes to Leah and says to her she had no idea what Leah's hard life was like. Suzy then gives Leah her green dress and makes Leah her new best friend.
Category:Rescuers
Category:Protectors
Category:Pure Good
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Damsels
Category:Female
Category:Kids
Category:Teenagers
Category:Tragic