"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 2

In the summer of 1968, three sisters travel to California to visit their estranged mother. While there, they learn about the fight for equality and civil rights.

This list covers "Green Stucco House"–"Collect Call."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8, List 9, List 10

Here are links to our lists for other other books by Rita Williams-Garcia: P.S. Be Eleven, Gone Crazy in Alabama, Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
28 words 196 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abandoned
    forsaken by owner or inhabitants
    You squeeze your brain one way, your imagination the other way, and see your mother peeking out the holes of crumbling abandoned buildings to stay dry when it snowed or rained.
  2. factual
    existing in reality
    Even though I’d finally figured out these were expressions and not the plain, factual truth, I expected Cecile Johnson to, at the very least, be bad off.
  3. poverty
    the state of having little or no money and possessions
    To be one of those “Negroes living in poverty,” as the news often put it.
  4. nudge
    push against gently
    Vonetta was too far from me to nudge or kick.
  5. plait
    a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
    I stared at her eight thick braids of unpressed hair, pencils shoved in the plait above her ear.
  6. surrounded
    confined on all sides
    The green prickly house was surrounded by a dried-out but neatly trimmed lawn.
  7. amused
    pleasantly occupied
    I could tell Cecile didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused.
  8. scrutiny
    a prolonged intense look
    Fern didn’t notice the scrutiny.
  9. whirl
    turn in a twisting or spinning motion
    She whirled around in the living room like a dance-recital fairy.
  10. mutter
    talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
    Cecile dropped Fern’s bag on the floor and started muttering, “I didn’t send for you."
  11. disguise
    any attire that conceals the wearer's identity
    She kept talking, muttering about Mexico, throwing her Mata Hari disguise on the beat-up sofa.
  12. recreation
    an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates
    After six and a half hours on the plane and keeping up with Cecile, I figured they could use the recreation.
  13. wisdom
    accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
    Then I added, showing all of my age and wisdom, “They buy babies down in Mexico for rich people.”
  14. broad
    having great extent from one side to the other
    She was tall and broad shouldered, where Pa was just tall.
  15. frank
    a smooth-textured sausage of minced beef or pork
    I’m no Big Ma in the kitchen, but I would have opened a can of beans and fried up some franks.
  16. slump
    fall or sink heavily
    Down the walk, past the slumping palm tree, and made a right turn.
  17. lively
    full of life and energy
    They jumped from lively wiggle worms to frozen statues just as we neared their yard.
  18. smirk
    a smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure
    We felt the smirks of the gaping statues on us.
  19. lag
    hang or fall in movement, progress, development, etc.
    I let her lag a step or two behind to wink and smile at them.
  20. eventually
    after an unspecified period of time or a long delay
    Then he gave it a running push and jumped on it, eventually lying stomach down, his arms outstretched as he held on to both ends of the T.
  21. profile
    an outline of something, especially a face from the side
    He was turned sideways, but I could see his profile, his beakish nose.
  22. fugitive
    someone who is sought by law officers
    He looked like a fugitive from justice.
  23. justice
    judgment involved in the assignment of reward and punishment
    He looked like a fugitive from justice.
  24. proper
    marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
    Papa’s proper name felt strange coming from my mouth.
  25. yelp
    bark in a high-pitched tone
    Already Vonetta and Fern began puppy yelping in the background and grabbing at the phone.
  26. plea
    a humble request for help from someone in authority
    A look of sorrow and a plea for forgiveness.
  27. formulate
    come up with after a mental effort
    Vonetta and Fern eyed the wooden sticks and formulated ideas about turning them into hairpins, play-fight swords, and pickup sticks.
  28. glimpse
    a quick look
    But I had caught a glimpse through the curtain.
Created on February 24, 2013 (updated February 28, 2019)

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