The Queen Bees of Tybee County: Chapters 12–21

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 1 learner

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. prod
    urge on; cause to act
    “Ro?” I prod.
    Ro groans like I just asked her to carry me up a mountain.
  2. relent
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    “Okay, fine,” she relents. “We used to be friends. Once upon a time.”
  3. ebb
    fall away or decline
    The storm in my gut ebbs a bit.
  4. lull
    a pause during which things are calm
    A lull falls between us as Giles waits for me to say something else. But I don’t.
  5. roil
    be agitated
    My stomach roils. If JJ talks to her, she might blurt something out about the pageant.
  6. amble
    walk leisurely
    Chickens peck at feed and amble in the front yard, bobbing their heads.
  7. lacquer
    a hard glossy coating
    The gold embroidery glimmers like fine lacquer, extraordinary and somehow familiar.
  8. swathe
    wrap in or as if in strips of cloth
    At the bottom, my little frame is swathed in the same red and gold cheongsam I’m wearing now.
  9. awestruck
    having a feeling of mixed reverence and wonder and dread
    But I’m awestruck by a metal racetrack circuit of hanging dresses overhead.
  10. glowering
    showing a brooding ill humor
    Behind that glowering face is my friend Ro. The first friend I ever made here in Heritage.
  11. smoldering
    showing scarcely suppressed anger
    She steps toward me, eyes smoldering.
    “That doesn’t make what you did okay.”
  12. cotillion
    a ball at which young ladies are presented to society
    “She signed Faye up for these cotillion classes, so she could learn the foxtrot or whatever. So boring...."
  13. reclaim
    reassert one's right or title to
    “Rough Rompin’ Ro,” Ro says, completing my thought. “I took the name.”
    “She reclaimed it,” Giles corrects.
  14. curtly
    in an abrupt and discourteous manner
    Ro nods curtly. “I’m sorry. When Faye and her friends ganged up on me, I was...outnumbered. I guess I felt safer when I imagined myself as part of a team. Like I belonged to something bigger.”
  15. emcee
    a person who acts as host at formal occasions
    The emcee roars. The curtains part. The crowd erupts.
Created on Mon Jun 08 17:11:55 EDT 2026 (updated Fri Jun 19 18:56:24 EDT 2026)

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