The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street: Chapter 19–Epilogue

by Karina Yan Glaser
After learning that they are going to be evicted from their Brooklyn home, the five Vanderbeeker children come up with a scheme to convince their landlord to allow them to stay.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–7, Chapters 8–12, Chapters 13–18, Chapter 19–Epilogue
40 words 88 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. stern
    strict and demanding
    Papa’s glare at his retreating children intensified as he pointed one stern finger at them, then to a spot on the ground one foot away from him.
  2. grizzly
    showing characteristics of age
    Uncle Arthur had grown a grizzly beard and was wearing a plaid flannel work shirt with paint-splattered jeans.
  3. decadent
    relating to indulgence in something pleasurable
    They were holding piles of presents all wrapped decadently in striped paper and abundant ribbons.
  4. impending
    close in time; about to occur
    Auntie Harrigan, who had already heard about their impending move from Papa, sat herself down on a cardboard box full of packed books and listened to every word.
  5. reconcile
    come to terms
    What if Isa and Benny didn’t reconcile before they moved?
  6. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    When no one spit it out, Oliver reached across the table to ladle a small amount of the stew into his bowl, then took a tentative sip.
  7. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
    A more morose Christmas Eve dinner had never been had among the Vanderbeekers.
  8. ominously
    in a manner suggesting something bad will happen
    Every window rattled ominously against the wind, which increased in severity throughout the meal.
  9. severity
    the degree of something undesirable as pain or weather
    Every window rattled ominously against the wind, which increased in severity throughout the meal.
  10. conspiratorial
    relating to or characteristic of a secret plot or agreement
    Finally, Mr. Jeet leaned over and whispered conspiratorially to Laney.
  11. frond
    compound leaf of a fern or palm or cycad
    Laney sought out Paganini from under the fronds of a potted palm tree.
  12. embroidery
    decorative needlework
    Mr. Jeet held an embroidery hoop one inch off the floor.
  13. prone
    lying face downward
    “Paganini, play piano!” Paganini scrambled up from his prone position and hopped to the piano.
  14. discordant
    lacking in harmony
    Then he placed his front paws on the keyboard and pressed down, creating a discordant chord.
  15. loom
    hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
    “WHAT?” the Beiderman roared. His eyes flashed and he loomed above Isa in his midnight-black clothes.
  16. unrelenting
    harsh
    The piece was “Les Furies,” and Isa’s playing was harsh and unrelenting.
  17. reverberate
    ring or echo with sound
    The music exploded through the brownstone, reverberating through the brick walls and making the air crackle.
  18. frenzy
    state of violent mental agitation
    Outside, the water wall was a frenzy of chimes knocking madly into each other, and the sounds of crashing metal.
  19. imperceptibly
    in a manner that is difficult to discern
    Almost imperceptibly, Isa’s violin gentled, as if coaxing “Les Furies” into submission.
  20. coax
    influence or persuade by gentle and persistent urging
    Almost imperceptibly, Isa’s violin gentled, as if coaxing “Les Furies” into submission.
  21. submission
    the act of surrendering power to another
    Almost imperceptibly, Isa’s violin gentled, as if coaxing “Les Furies” into submission.
  22. rasp
    speak in a harsh, grating voice
    “I’m sorry,” the Beiderman rasped.
  23. frothy
    emitting or filled with bubbles
    Jessie and Oliver were already there, and Oliver mumbled something with a mouth full of frothy toothpaste.
  24. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
    “What’s that?” Isa asked, pointing at the envelopes in his hand.
    “You’ll see,” he said cryptically.
  25. jubilation
    a feeling of extreme joy
    She tackled Oliver in jubilation, too overwhelmed to say thank you.
  26. render
    cause to become
    Hyacinth was rendered mute, which Oliver took as a positive sign.
  27. encrust
    decorate or cover lavishly (as with gems)
    When it was time, she stood in front of him and held out a shoebox encrusted with plastic gemstones.
  28. trepidation
    a feeling of alarm or dread
    He stared at it with no small amount of trepidation before lifting the top.
  29. preemptive
    designed to prevent an anticipated situation or occurrence
    Mama had preemptive tears in her eyes when she took it, peeled back the tape, and opened up the paper, careful not to tear the wrapping.
  30. blatantly
    in a completely obvious manner
    Jessie declared, heading to the kitchen, where four pairs of curious eyes blatantly spied on Isa and Benny.
  31. acquiesce
    agree or express agreement
    Isa gestured for them to come out, and they both acquiesced without bothering to put on jackets.
  32. lope
    run easily
    He loped off and the Vanderbeekers watched him disappear down the street.
  33. sparse
    not dense or plentiful
    The apartment was sparse; there was a dining room table for one with a chair tucked into it, a worn sofa, a crooked side table, and two standing floor lamps.
  34. stark
    severely simple
    Some paintings were stark, as if the brush had crashed and torn against the canvas, while other paintings were tender, as if they had been painted over the course of hundreds of hours with the tip of the thinnest brush.
  35. tender
    having or displaying warmth or affection
    Some paintings were stark, as if the brush had crashed and torn against the canvas, while other paintings were tender, as if they had been painted over the course of hundreds of hours with the tip of the thinnest brush.
  36. traverse
    journey across or pass over
    Laney crawled around the floor, traversing a path that made sense only to her.
  37. gangly
    tall, thin, and awkward
    The back passenger door opened, and out stepped a gangly eighth grade boy.
  38. eaves
    the overhang at the lower edge of a roof
    It was late January, and icicles hung from the brownstone eaves.
  39. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
    Papa and Uncle Arthur glanced up, and Mr. Beiderman gave them a discreet thumbs-up.
  40. gruff
    blunt and unfriendly or stern
    Mr. Beiderman gave a gruff wave and retreated into his apartment.
Created on Thu Nov 07 21:24:10 EST 2019 (updated Thu Nov 14 16:23:59 EST 2019)

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