145th Street: Big Joe's Funeral–Angela's Eyes

by Walter Dean Myers
Peaches, Squeezie, Monkeyman, Benny, Mack and Kitty—these are just some of the Harlem residents with vivid stories to tell in this collection from Newbery-winner Walter Dean Myers.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Big Joe's Funeral–Angela's Eyes, The Streak–Kitty and Mack, A Christmas Story–Block Party

Here are links to our lists for other works by Walter Dean Myers: Fallen Angels, Monster, Slam!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. hearse
    a vehicle for carrying a coffin to a church or a cemetery
    He was going to supply the coffin, the hearse, which carried the coffin, and two limousines.
  2. liable
    likely to be or do something
    “You go laying up in some coffin and death liable to reach out and snatch you right away from here!”
  3. superstitious
    showing faith in magic and ignorance of the laws of nature
    “Woman, you’re just superstitious,” Big Joe said. “Ain’t nothing to worry about.”
  4. widow
    a woman whose husband is dead, especially if not remarried
    Maybe her being a widow was what made her touchy.
  5. peculiar
    beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
    Now, besides Sadie and Peaches there were some sisters from the church who thought the idea was a little peculiar and they made sure that everybody knew it, but even some of them showed up because they appreciated a good funeral, too.
  6. undertaker
    one whose business is the management of funerals
    Well, the Fourth of July was hot but the undertaker’s parlor was air-conditioned.
  7. commotion
    a disorderly outburst or tumult
    LaToya was dancing and people heard all the commotion and started gathering around.
  8. lame
    pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
    Now, that was a lame answer and everybody there, with the exception of Willie, knew it.
  9. pout
    make a sad face and thrust out one's lower lip
    He was a little knotty-headed boy with lips that stuck out like he was pouting, and skinny black legs that twisted oddly away from his body.
  10. stoop
    small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house
    Chops and Tommy were on the stoop talking to some girl he didn’t know.
  11. deft
    skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands
    Billy watched him for a while; his black skin already glistened with crystals of sweat as he threw deft combinations against an imaginary, helpless opponent.
  12. brash
    offensively bold
    Probably a knockdown or a knockout, he thought; maybe the brash kid had made good his boast.
  13. skulk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    The kid who had bragged about getting a knockout skulked to a corner, slipped out of his trunks, and fumbled with the lacing on his groin protector, the grease still on his eyebrow where he’d been cut.
  14. swagger
    a proud stiff pompous gait
    This was the only good part of the fight—the crowd looking at him, wondering what he was made of, judging him by his swagger, by the expression on his face, his show of confidence.
  15. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
    Unconsciously he tried to impress them as he walked to the ring, as if they were his adversary and not the other fighter.
  16. feint
    deceive by a mock action
    Billy backed off, feinted once, jabbed, feinted again, twice, disregarded completely a right thrown by Vegas as he prepared a series of blows to the body and head.
  17. jolt
    move or cause to move with a sudden jerky motion
    Now he was against the ropes with Vegas punching him in the body, jolting nausea into him in sharply swelling waves.
  18. frenzy
    state of violent mental agitation
    For a moment Vegas dropped his hands and with a frenzy Billy lashed out at him, more in fury than with any plan.
  19. prim
    affectedly dainty or refined
    When Billy thought of them he always pictured young guys with glasses and attache cases sitting primly on the A train and thumbing through a thick book.
  20. contort
    twist and press out of shape
    Billy followed it with a left hook, leaving his feet for a moment, seeing the force of the blow contort Vegas’s face.
  21. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
    Then, somehow, he was up, and Manny was forcing the acrid smelling salts under his nose, forcing him back to reality.
  22. slur
    utter indistinctly
    Manny asked him something and he felt that he had slurred the answer, but Manny seemed satisfied.
  23. ooze
    release in drops or small quantities
    From down the street a tinny-sounding radio oozed out a slow blues.
  24. emerge
    come out of
    Theresa, the mother of Angela Luz Colon, finally emerged from her grief and called the factory where she had worked before her husband, Fernando, had been killed.
  25. scowl
    a facial expression of dislike or displeasure
    Mr. Rodriguez looked up from where he was sitting with Jorge Cruz, a dark scowl crossing his face.
  26. supplement
    add to what seems insufficient
    Perhaps it was the wine, or the heat from the kerosene burner used to supplement the cranky radiator, or perhaps an unlucky combination of the two.
  27. lilt
    a jaunty rhythm in music or speech
    The party went on, but the musical lilt of voices, the cymbal lightness of laughter, did not.
  28. shun
    avoid and stay away from deliberately
    That people began to shun her was the worse part.
  29. ruminate
    reflect deeply on a subject
    She was older than her years and much given to ruminating about her health.
  30. scant
    less than the correct or legal or full amount
    The consequences of their conversations seemed scant but they both seemed pleased with the possibilities, which, in turn, pleased Angela.
Created on Tue May 26 19:41:03 EDT 2015 (updated Mon Sep 10 16:10:20 EDT 2018)

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