Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library: Chapters 21–34

by Chris Grabenstein
Kyle and eleven other kids get the chance to stay overnight in Mr. Lemoncello's new, high-tech library. The children must solve a series of puzzles in order to find a way out of the library and win an amazing prize.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–13, Chapters 14–20, Chapters 21–34, Chapters 35–56
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. conveyor belt
    a moving loop of material that transports objects
    The high-tech conveyor belt was actually a series of rollers.
  2. assess
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
    Kyle stepped back. Tried to assess the situation.
  3. outwit
    beat through cleverness
    “We need to stop the belt so Haley can yank her hand out of that slot without falling on her butt or cracking open her skull. Have you ever read a book where the hero outwits an escalator or a rolling checkout belt in the grocery store or something?”
  4. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    She hobbled around the bookshelves toward the staircase up to the reading room.
  5. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    She was giving herself a good talking-to as she trudged up the steps to the first floor.
  6. woe
    misery resulting from affliction
    If Haley could win this competition and become Mr. Lemoncello’s spokesmodel, her family’s money woes would be over and they wouldn’t have to sell their home.
  7. fleece
    the outer coat of an animal, especially sheep and yaks
    Because the cover looked extremely familiar: two googly-eyed sheep made out of chocolate-frosted cakes with gobs of mini marshmallows for fleece.
  8. pennant
    a flag that usually tapers and is longer than it is wide
    There were also a felt pennant from Disneyland and a rubber-banded stack of cartoony cards for something called Wacky Packages.
  9. consultation
    a meeting to discuss a particular question or topic
    Miguel was also near the librarian’s desk, apparently waiting his turn for a consultation.
  10. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    He motioned for the others to follow him and slipped around the circumference of the rotunda. Akimi and Sierra slunk after him.
  11. rumple
    become wrinkled or creased
    And then she showed Kyle and Akimi the rumpled sheet of paper where she had written down five book titles for all ten authors.
  12. automaton
    a mechanism that can move independently of external control
    The frozen automaton was dressed in a black top hat and a bright red ringmaster jacket.
  13. jostle
    make one's way by pushing or shoving
    Bells rang, whistles whistled, and chaser lights blinked. The mechanical Mr. Lemoncello jostled to life.
  14. rig
    arrange the outcome of by means of deceit
    “And so’s this game. You people have it rigged so Miguel Fernandez will win. I know you do! That’s why Mr. Lemoncello is afraid to talk to me.”
  15. berserk
    frenzied as if possessed by a demon
    “I bet the security guards in the control room fired up the Egyptian holograms when they saw Andrew going berserk in here,” said Akimi.
  16. contemplation
    a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
    “A library is supposed to be a place for peaceful contemplation.”
  17. renowned
    widely known and esteemed
    The image on the front was a bright yellow yield sign. The title? Universal Road Signs by “renowned trafficologist” Abigail Rose Painter.
  18. commerce
    transactions supplying goods and services
    The 300s were all about social sciences, including things like commerce, communications, and—ta-da!—transportation.
  19. glum
    showing a brooding ill humor
    “Why so glum, Andrew?” Charles called out.
  20. perky
    characterized by liveliness and lightheartedness
    An overhead projector beamed a movie onto dummy number two, turning it into a perky woman who looked like a flight attendant.
  21. abridged
    shortened by condensing or rewriting
    “Fine. But can we go with the abridged version? We’re in a bit of a rush.”
  22. yearn
    desire strongly or persistently
    “For decades,” narrated the ceiling voice, “public libraries have proudly served America’s newest citizens—the immigrants who flock to these shores yearning for the freedom to build their own American dreams.”
  23. ancestor
    someone from whom you are descended
    His ancestors were all Americans; the only language they spoke was English.
  24. gainful
    providing money; profitable
    “Yes, the library is where many new arrivals journey first. To learn their new homeland’s language. To keep in touch with the world they left behind. To search for the gainful employment that will make them productive residents of their newly adopted home!”
  25. guise
    an artful or simulated semblance
    After a prolonged parade of pickle people, the dummies took on the guise of Andrew’s most famous ancestor, a guy in horn-rimmed glasses and a tweed sports coat named Peter Paul Peckleman.
  26. rebus
    a puzzle consisting of pictures representing words
    “All right, you Maniac Magees, here is your picture puzzle. The category is Famous Quotes. You have sixty seconds to solve this rebus.”
  27. flagrant
    conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
    “Two reasons. One, if you’re on my side, your flagrant plagiarism remains our dirty little secret. Two, I know what to do with that silhouette card you just found in the Hoosier Hospitality book.”
  28. plagiarism
    taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own
    “Two reasons. One, if you’re on my side, your flagrant plagiarism remains our dirty little secret. Two, I know what to do with that silhouette card you just found in the Hoosier Hospitality book.”
  29. limber
    cause to become supple
    Miguel rubbed his hands together. Limbered up his fingers.
  30. almanac
    an annual publication arranged according to the calendar
    “Okay,” said Miguel, “in here we’re gonna find General Knowledge. Almanacs, encyclopedias, bibliographies, books about library science...”
  31. bibliography
    a list of writings with time and place of publication
    “Okay,” said Miguel, “in here we’re gonna find General Knowledge. Almanacs, encyclopedias, bibliographies, books about library science...”
  32. fedora
    a hat made of felt with a creased crown
    “This plaid fedora from 1968 was worn by a guy named Leopold Loblolly.”
  33. plaque
    a tablet that commemorates a person or achievement
    “According to this plaque, Loblolly was ‘one of the notorious Dandy Bandits.’
  34. notorious
    known widely and usually unfavorably
    “According to this plaque, Loblolly was ‘one of the notorious Dandy Bandits.’
  35. deductive
    involving inferences from general principles
    “Well,” said Miguel, “once we have more clues, we can use Sherlock Holmes’s famous ‘deductive reasoning’ method to make logical connections between all the random junk.”
  36. garb
    clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
    And were face to face with a semi-transparent guy in medieval garb with a fur-trimmed cap and a beard that looked like two raccoon tails sewn together under his nose and chin.
  37. scour
    examine minutely
    He and his so-called teammates, Andrew and Haley (Charles planned on dumping them both right before he made his glorious solo exit from the library), had scoured the library together for hours looking for more book cover matches.
  38. coincidental
    occurring or operating at the same time
    Finally, around six in, coincidentally, the 600s room, they scored twice, finding Tea for You and Me (641.3372) and Why Wait to Lose Weight?
  39. sulk
    be in a huff and display one's displeasure
    Andrew slumped down in his seat to sulk.
  40. magnanimous
    noble and generous in spirit
    Now Peckleman piped up. “That makes more sense than what you said, Charles.”
    “Indeed,” said Charles, sounding magnanimous.
Created on Thu Jul 26 19:36:10 EDT 2018 (updated Mon Aug 06 14:04:18 EDT 2018)

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