Pretty Leslie Character Analysis

Pretty Leslie is one of Emoni’s classmates. She’s one of only three kids from Emoni’s neighborhood to get into Schomburg Charter, but she and Emoni aren’t friends—in fact, Pretty Leslie is cold and mean to Emoni for much of the novel. This has to do, in part, with the fact that Pretty Leslie has a crush on Malachi and is jealous that he’s interested in Emoni, not her. But Pretty Leslie later reveals that she was put off by how proud and superior Emoni acted when she got pregnant, as though she was better than everyone else. She also resents the way Emoni seems to sweet-talk the teachers. For much of the novel, though, Emoni doesn’t know this and simply tries to avoid Pretty Leslie’s wrath whenever possible. She’s not entirely convinced that Malachi is right that Pretty Leslie has had a difficult past and just lashes out in inappropriate ways. Ultimately, though, Pretty Leslie confirms Malachi’s assessment. She’ll be the first person in her family to graduate high school and attend college. After she drunkenly is cruel to Emoni in Spain, the girls speak honestly with each other and form, if not a friendship, then an understanding and a truce.