Like Vanessa: Rise of the Undead–Junito Shatters the Earth

by Tami Charles
Inspired by the first black woman to be crowned Miss America, thirteen-year-old Vanessa enters a local beauty pageant in the hopes of transforming her life.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Fifty Stinkin’ Years–Goin’ Up Yonder, Pray Myself Invisible–Baby Steps, Girlfriend, Rise of the Undead–Junito Shatters the Earth, A Long Way from Our World–Much, Much Too Late, Me and My Stupid Miss America Dreams–I Remember
40 words 16 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. protrude
    extend out or project in space
    My back pulls up straight, and my chest protrudes forward, showing curves I ain’t never seen before.
  2. frantically
    in an uncontrolled manner
    Gallons of ocean water fill my lungs, the saltiness tearing up my insides something good. I frantically gyrate my body upward to come up for air.
  3. upright
    in a vertical position; not sloping
    My body bolts upright, covered in sweat. The dream has weakened me, leaving my stomach bubbling, twisting, moaning.
  4. distort
    twist and press out of shape
    His face distorts in pain.
  5. anguish
    extreme distress of body or mind
    He sharply turns to face me, anguish surfacing in his eyes.
  6. poise
    a state of being balanced in a stable equilibrium
    “This will give you poise and balance when you’re walking in your gown,” she reminds me.
  7. colloquialism
    an expression that seeks to imitate informal speech
    But for the pageant, she doesn’t want to hear me speak any street talk, or, as she calls it, colloquialisms.
  8. brink
    the limit beyond which something happens or changes
    “I already told you. You’re on the brink of something big, Vanessa. I didn’t get that chance when I was younger. I’m happy that I’ll be around to see you make your mark. That, my dear, is payment enough.”
  9. stationery
    paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters
    She pulls out a sheet of fancy blue stationery. “Here. Take this note to your grandfather. Ask him to sign it so you have permission to go, and I will pick you up Saturday. Let’s say nine in the morning?”
  10. blare
    make a loud noise
    Trumpets blare and bands march in uniform steps, and Miss America herself, Vanessa Williams, stands on top of a beautifully decorated float and for me, is the highlight of the whole parade.
  11. varying
    marked by diversity or difference
    The outside of the onions is varying shades of greens and browns with white patches of fuzz, but on the inside the flesh is bright and good enough to eat.
  12. sustain
    provide with nourishment
    Father in heaven,
    sustain our bodies with this food
  13. conniving
    good at tricking people to get something
    She is sneaky and conniving, and I do not like the way it feels.
  14. rig
    connect or secure to
    But at the same time, the rush takes over as I rig the hanger in the doorjamb and softly unclick the bottom lock.
  15. jamb
    a vertical side piece of a door or window frame
    But at the same time, the rush takes over as I rig the hanger in the doorjamb and softly unclick the bottom lock.
  16. dainty
    delicately beautiful
    The tiara, dainty and petite with several stones missing, is delicate in the palm of my hand.
  17. petite
    very small
    The tiara, dainty and petite with several stones missing, is delicate in the palm of my hand.
  18. speckle
    a small contrasting part of something
    There’re ghosts in Pop Pop’s eyes. Trapped behind the speckles of gray and green.
  19. dilate
    become wider
    When I kiss his forehead, his eyes open, revealing his pupils. They’re dilated, frightened, drowning in wartime memories, maybe drowning in his own dreams of his daughter, my mama.
  20. bustle
    move or cause to move energetically or busily
    I nod my head, and she pulls out, up the hill, past the projects, past the bodegas and the liquor stores with men sleeping on the cold asphalt, out of the ghetto and to the hustling, bustling scene of downtown.
  21. conservative
    unimaginatively conventional
    Her hair is always pinned up in a conservative bun.
  22. rouge
    redden by applying makeup to
    Every lash is always perfectly mascaraed. Both cheeks lightly rouged.
  23. argyle
    a design consisting of a pattern of varicolored diamonds
    I ain’t never seen Mrs. Walton like this. She’s wearing jeans. Gray stonewashed Levi’s with a sharp crease down the middle, an olive-green Members Only jacket, and an argyle sweater.
  24. pedestal
    a support or foundation
    When I try on the first outfit, Mrs. Walton tells me to come out and stand on the pedestal in front of the mirrors.
  25. reluctantly
    with a certain degree of unwillingness
    I reluctantly walk out to the mirrors and realize I have an audience.
  26. transition
    make or undergo a change
    She says that B-flat major is my sweet spot and gives me the most room to transition from my chest to my head voice when I climb up to the high F at the end.
  27. rally
    gather or bring together
    Mr. da Silva turns around and rallies everyone to start clapping all over again.
  28. blurt
    utter impulsively
    I want to blurt out that not only would TJ be okay with the makeup part, he’ll probably be stealing it as soon as I get home.
  29. scurry
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    Mrs. Walton points to a pretty black girl behind the counter and scurries off.
  30. commotion
    a disorderly outburst or tumult
    “So you’re the big commotion in the store today,” she says when she finally speaks.
  31. flawless
    without a weakness or defect or mistake
    She’s dressed to the nines. Makeup flawless. She can’t be much older than nineteen.
  32. complexion
    texture and appearance of the skin of the face
    She starts going on and on about the type of makeup colors I’ll need for my complexion.
  33. mannequin
    a life-size dummy used to display clothes
    Mrs. Walton darts from the register and stops in front of a mannequin dressed in an ivory princess-style gown.
  34. bodice
    part of a dress above the waist
    The bodice is covered in lace with pearls woven in between the seams, and the bottom flares out and brushes the floor.
  35. gawk
    look with amazement
    When Mrs. Walton drops me at home, everybody is gawking at her ride.
  36. nada
    a quantity of no importance
    I’ve been using this stuff all week. And so far, nada.
  37. scorch
    burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
    Fire shoots out of Tanisha’s ears, scorching my face.
  38. tread
    a step in walking or running
    Beatriz’s steps match the different beats: a slow tread through the grassless patches of black soil, followed by a faster two-step on the cracked concrete.
  39. unwavering
    not showing abrupt variations
    TJ jumps back. I don’t need to turn around to see the fear and hurt in his eyes. I can smell it on him—wild and fresh and unwavering.
  40. rain check
    a promise that an offer will be renewed in the future
    “I’ll take a rain check on those empanadas, Beatriz. We gotta go help my grandfather with something.”
Created on Mon Jul 09 20:08:04 EDT 2018 (updated Tue Jul 17 13:48:30 EDT 2018)

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