Rachel is Jerry, the main character's sister in the story Ginger Pye. She is described as adventurous and intelligent. She is frequently making up stories and adventures to play with Jerry and Ginger. Additionally, she is courageous and compassionate. When Ginger goes missing near the end of the story, she and Jerry are the ones who go looking for him throughout the entire town, even so far as going into an abandoned old shed. She cares deeply for her family and for Ginger, which is shown in her earnest search for him.

She is also described as very stubborn and tenacious, as she refuses to be wrong and will endure hardship if needed. Her adventurous spirit makes her want to travel, and she wants to go to the coldest and hottest places.

One of the first things we learn about Rachel is that she is compassionate.  She has a propensity for sticking up for the underdog, including her best friend Addie, whom all the fifth graders say has cooties, and little Evvie Powers whom the older children pick on.  She is also described as "eager", and is adventurous and curious, with a great interest in traveling and seeing places like Boston and New York.  Rachel is tenacious, patiently enduring the cold at Auntie Hoyt's house without complaining, so that her father would recognize her stoic nature and someday take her on bird trips with him, "to the coldest North and the hottest South and...the swamps of Florida".  Finally, she is intelligent and imaginative, and loves to play creative games and make up stories with her brother Jerry, even though "she (is) a whole year younger".