The Queen Bees of Tybee County: Chapters 1–5

by Kyle Casey Chu
Derrick Chan just graduated high school as his school's basketball star — but that's not really who he is. Spending the summer with his grandmother Claudia, Derrick uncovers a long-hidden part of himself, which also helps him discover the legacy of courage in his family.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–21, Chapters 22–31, Chapters 32–38
15 words 7 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. stellar
    distinguished from others in excellence
    “And there he is, Mr. Derrick Chan!” roars Coach. “The best point guard in Bayard with the three-pointer that clinched us the championship! Stellar performance!”
  2. tinny
    thin, metallic, and displeasing in sound
    We’re in the car now. A tinny sports announcer’s voice sparks to life on the radio.
  3. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    Since I was so young when she died, I don’t have a lot of memories of her.
    But a few things stay with me. The smell of sizzling ginger and garlic wafting from our cramped kitchen.
  4. careen
    move at high speed and in an uncontrolled way
    An eighth grader careens down the hall on a rattling skateboard, finger-skimming lockers as Principal Matthews barks after him.
  5. faze
    disturb the composure of
    I can’t help but cringe a bit at the attention, but it doesn’t faze JJ.
  6. rift
    a personal or social separation
    Either he found out what it was, and that’s what caused the rift between him and Claudia, or he didn’t, and I wouldn’t dare to bring it up again.
  7. bleary
    indistinct or hazy in outline
    “We’re here,” Dad says. My bleary eyes open as I lift my sweaty head from the window.
  8. bungalow
    a small house with a single story
    Straight ahead, a humble buttercup-yellow bungalow sits at the end of a long gravel drive.
  9. overwhelm
    overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
    When I imagined her house, I expected cross-stitched samplers with Bible quotes on the walls. Flowers in vases and maybe some lacy tea doilies. You know. Grandma things. Instead, I’m overwhelmed by the quilt of loud colors and textures.
  10. hodgepodge
    a motley assortment of things
    There’s less order to the chaos here—open boxes overflow with hodgepodges of yarn and crafting materials.
  11. flamboyant
    tending to attract attention; marked by ostentatious display
    Piles of flamboyant fabrics, pin-dotted cushions, thread spindles, and bobbins festoon every surface.
  12. festoon
    decorate or adorn
    Piles of flamboyant fabrics, pin-dotted cushions, thread spindles, and bobbins festoon every surface.
  13. gossamer
    characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
    At the heart of the chaos is a sewing machine, where a green gossamer sheath waits to be stitched.
  14. mannequin
    a life-size dummy used to display clothes
    My eyes adjust. It’s not a headless man....It’s a mannequin.
  15. contestant
    a person who participates in competitions
    “Well, the junior pageant. I always help organize it. And this...this is a piece I’m working on for a contestant.”
Created on Mon Jun 08 17:10:22 EDT 2026 (updated Fri Jun 19 18:33:54 EDT 2026)

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