Raymie Nightingale: Chapters 1–8

by Kate DiCamillo
Raymie enters a local pageant, hoping that the publicity will encourage her absent father to reach out to her. She meets Louisiana and Beverly in a baton-twirling class, and the girls forge a friendship that will help each of them cope with their own losses.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–19, Chapters 20–30, Chapters 31–51

Here are links to our lists for other works by Kate DiCamillo: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Flora & Ulysses, Louisiana's Way Home
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. baton
    a metal rod wielded or twirled by a drum major or majorette
    The girl clutched her baton to her chest and dropped to her knees.
  2. topple
    fall down, as if collapsing
    The girl in the pink dress moaned and toppled over sideways.
  3. tragedy
    an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
    It was actually a great tragedy, what had happened.
  4. recite
    repeat aloud from memory
    “This is a great tragedy,” said Raymie’s mother. “Quit reciting nursery rhymes.”
  5. disgrace
    bring shame or dishonor upon
    It was a great tragedy because Raymie’s father had disgraced himself.
  6. intention
    a wish or design that you plan to carry out
    Raymie, for one, had no intention of messing with her.
  7. despair
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent
    Raymie felt a wave of despair.
  8. dismay
    the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
    She would gasp out loud in surprise and dismay (and also, maybe, in envy and admiration).
  9. envy
    a desire to have something that is possessed by another
    She would gasp out loud in surprise and dismay (and also, maybe, in envy and admiration).
  10. halt
    an interruption or temporary suspension of progress
    But then the girl in the pink dress fainted, and the twirling lesson came to a screeching halt.
  11. pronouncement
    an authoritative declaration
    This pronouncement was greeted with a small silence, and then Beverly Tapinski slapped the girl in the pink dress.
  12. lollygag
    loaf about and waste time; dawdle
    “I’m not wasting my time with lollygaggers and malingerers. Or fainters.”
  13. malingerer
    someone shirking duty by feigning illness or incapacity
    “I’m not wasting my time with lollygaggers and malingerers. Or fainters.”
  14. deposit
    put in a place firmly
    She looked around her in wonder, as if she had been deposited on Ida Nee’s property by mistake.
  15. grubby
    thickly covered with ingrained dirt
    Beverly rolled her eyes. “Here,” she said. She held out her hand. It was a grubby hand.
  16. regret
    sadness associated with some wrong or disappointment
    “I’m just all filled up with feathers and regrets. And fears. I have a lot of fears.”
  17. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    It felt like a gigantic tent billowing out.
  18. shrivel
    wither, as with a loss of moisture
    “How do they waste them?” Raymie had asked.
    “They let them shrivel,” said Mrs. Borkowski.
  19. glimmer
    shine brightly, like a star or a light
    Down at the lake, on the edge of the dock, Ida Nee was twirling her baton. It flashed and glimmered.
  20. sabotage
    destroy property or hinder normal operations
    “I’m going to sabotage that contest,” said Beverly.
  21. rely
    have confidence or faith in
    Old Mrs. Borkowski said all the time that the sun could not be relied on.
  22. murmur
    a low continuous indistinct sound
    Raymie could hear her voice—a low, angry murmur—but she could not understand what she was saying.
  23. ransom
    money demanded for the return of a captured person
    “But there’s one thousand nine hundred and seventy-five dollars to win,” said Louisiana. “That is a king’s ransom. That’s an untold fortune!..."
  24. malevolent
    having or exerting a malignant influence
    “Marsha Jean is somewhere close behind. I’m certain of it. I can feel her malevolent presence.”
  25. whereabouts
    the general location of someone or something
    “If Marsha Jean shows up,” she shouted at Raymie and Beverly, “tell her you haven’t seen me. Don’t allow her to write anything down on her clipboard. And tell her that you don’t know my whereabouts.”
  26. accelerate
    move faster
    The car accelerated at an alarming rate, the engine roaring and groaning, and then the station wagon disappeared entirely, and Raymie and Beverly were left standing together in a cloud that was composed of dust and gravel and exhaust.
  27. exhaust
    gases ejected from an engine as waste products
    The car accelerated at an alarming rate, the engine roaring and groaning, and then the station wagon disappeared entirely, and Raymie and Beverly were left standing together in a cloud that was composed of dust and gravel and exhaust.
  28. clench
    squeeze together tightly
    Raymie felt her heart clench in disbelief.
  29. adrift
    without clear direction or purpose
    Raymie’s plan to bring her father home wasn’t much of a plan at all. What was she doing? She didn’t know. She was alone, lost, cast adrift.
  30. suspend
    hang freely
    And while the baton was suspended between the sky and the gravel, Beverly said, “I told you to tell me a secret.”
  31. pathetic
    deserving or inciting pity
    “People are doing that pathetic kind of thing all the time,” said Beverly.
  32. pang
    a sudden sharp feeling
    Considering this fact, she felt a pang of something. What was it? Outrage? Disbelief? Sorrow?
  33. outrage
    a feeling of righteous anger
    Considering this fact, she felt a pang of something. What was it? Outrage? Disbelief? Sorrow?
  34. desperate
    showing extreme urgency or intensity because of great need
    Small rocks leaped up in the air, desperate to escape Beverly’s wrath.
  35. wrath
    intense anger
    Small rocks leaped up in the air, desperate to escape Beverly’s wrath.
Created on Wed Sep 12 15:05:26 EDT 2018 (updated Wed Mar 06 09:27:16 EST 2019)

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