Cara is the main protagonist of The Landry News. In appearance, Cara is average and unremarkable, “easy for the other kids to ignore” (2). Cara’s backstory plays a key role in who she is at the story’s onset and who she becomes as the story progresses. Cara’s parents are newly separated, and this leaves her feeling angry, both at her parents and at herself. The Landry News began as an outlet for her sorrow and frustration, and Cara is an underdog at the beginning of the novel. She has been expelled from her previous school as a result of writing unkind stories and the start of the novel represents a fresh start for her. This context means that the reader is encouraged to invest emotionally in Cara’s story and the jeopardy that she puts herself in when she chooses to restart The Landry News at her new school.

Cara’s past directly influences her growth throughout the novel. At the beginning of the story, Cara falls back on The Landry News because it helps her feel seen, and she is fearful of fading into the background like she did while her parents were separating.