Jessie is intellectual and sensible. She skipped third grade, leading her to be in the same class as her older brother, Evan. She wears a backpack as it is “more practical” (6), even though it’s not fashionable among the girls at her school, showing her to be someone who prioritizes pragmatism over popularity.

Jessie loves rules, believing that they guarantee fair treatment for all. Ironically, the court case she orchestrates to bring Scott to justice is unfair in many ways. Jessie is a dynamic character who changes and develops throughout the story. She learns that she needs to relinquish control and uphold her principles of fair treatment for everyone.

Her maturation is evident when she concedes that Megan did the right thing in representing Scott, even though Megan also thought that Scott had stolen the money. Jessie admits that she was overly motivated in trying to win rather than being invested in a genuinely fair trial. Her yoga-loving grandma cautions her that she can’t control everything, and she needs to relax and let things unfold rather than trying to “run the whole world” (132). After Megan leaves, Jessie chants “be the tree” (136), a saying of her grandma’s that symbolizes her attempt to be a relaxed and accepting observer rather than one who wants to control her world.