Warrior on the Mound: Chapters 1–6

by Sandra W. Headon
In Jim-Crow era North Carolina, 12-year-old Cato is an aspiring pitcher whose dream of playing professional baseball collides with racial tensions and conflict after he and his team practice on a whites-only field.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–11, Chapters 12–19, Chapters 20–33
15 words 10 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. reckon
    judge to be probable
    I reckon he was one of the best pitchers in the Negro Baseball Leagues. I aim to be just like him.
  2. plait
    a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
    Her hair is in two plaits with a blue ribbon on each one.
  3. frock
    a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
    Like Hope, she’s all dressed up, wearing a spotless white apron and an ironed gray morning frock.
  4. kerchief
    a square scarf folded into a triangle and worn over the head
    The bright yellow kerchief that Daddy Mo bought her from Kansas City is tied in a knot above her forehead.
  5. unruly
    unable to be governed or controlled
    His hair is reddish brown, the color of just-pulled sweet potatoes, unruly under a blue-and-white-striped baseball cap.
  6. loiter
    linger, remain, or wait around for no apparent reason
    “Go on to school now—I don’t approve of cutting, and I don’t allow loitering on my property.”
  7. guzzle
    drink greedily or as if with great thirst
    He pops the top off of his soda and guzzles it quickly.
  8. shard
    a broken piece of a brittle artifact
    Finally, all that’s left is shards of glass scattered on the ground.
  9. queasy
    causing or fraught with or showing anxiety
    Worrying is making me queasy.
  10. convoy
    a procession of land vehicles traveling together
    A convoy of Army trucks is headed to the base at Fort Bragg.
  11. vile
    exceptionally bad or unpleasant
    Chills run down my back at just the thought of doing something so vile.
  12. pleasantry
    an agreeable or amusing remark
    There’s no pleasantries this time: Papa Vee looks right at Mason. “Luke says the Rangers were on his ball field yesterday, Mason. Is that so?”
  13. kindling
    material for starting a fire
    His wide shoulders stretch the buttons on his red plaid shirt, and his arms are thick as lumber, ready to break something—or someone—into kindling.
  14. vandal
    someone who willfully destroys or defaces property
    “This is what you get for trespassing and being...uh, what did Mr. Luke say, Trace?”
    “Vandals, Freight Train. Daddy called them vandals....”
  15. vigorously
    in an energetic manner
    “Yes suh, Mr. Trace,” I say, holding my head down and nodding vigorously.
Created on Mon Jul 13 17:56:10 EDT 2026 (updated Fri Aug 07 14:58:39 EDT 2026)

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