Ban This Book: List 3

by Alan Gratz
When Amy Anne's favorite book is banned from her school library, she decided to fight against censorship.

This list covers "The Right to Bear Arms"–"My Glorious Return."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4
25 words 79 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sly
    marked by skill in deception
    “Um...” I said. I had no idea what I was looking at.
    “The free exercise of religion,” Trey said. He smiled slyly again.
  2. obsess
    be preoccupied with something
    He was currently obsessed with rock collecting, and when his tray went flying it sent mac and cheese, chocolate milk, and a dozen minerals of various shapes, sizes, and colors clattering and splattering all over the floor.
  3. prosecution
    legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior
    In five seconds, Detective Banazewski was going to pick up Prosecution Exhibit A in the case of The Wake County School Board v. Amy Anne Ollinger, and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it but sit and watch.
  4. cackle
    emit a loud, unpleasant kind of laughing
    M.J. cackled, and started typing.
  5. primp
    dress or groom with elaborate care
    “Naturally Curly” Rebecca said, pretending to primp her black curly hair.
  6. falter
    be or become weak, unsteady, or uncertain
    Rebecca, Danny, and I just stood there smiling up at him. For a long time. He smiled back like he was waiting for us to say something, but after a while his smile began to falter.
  7. misdemeanor
    a crime less serious than a felony
    “I can’t believe we’re even considering this!” Rebecca said. “Forget suing us. Theft is a misdemeanor!”
  8. restitution
    a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
    “Does that mean we could go to jail?” I asked.
    “Well, no. Not for stealing a few books. Restitution and community service, maybe.”
  9. heft
    lift or elevate
    He hefted his backpack onto his shoulder and headed for the door. “I’m going to set off the alarm!”
  10. psychic
    affecting or influenced by the human mind
    I took a second to watch her go, half afraid Mrs. Jones would somehow psychically know she had the banned books in her bag, and half afraid I hadn’t demagnetized them the right way.
  11. trove
    a valuable collection or treasure found hidden
    It was a treasure trove, these stacks, and suddenly I had the idea that I was Smaug the dragon sitting on my piles of gold and jewels, and I would do anything to keep that hobbit and those dwarves from taking them back.
  12. prosper
    make steady progress
    “Okay,” I said. “Well, anyway, thanks. Um, live long and prosper.”
    Live long and prosper was a thing Jeffrey liked to tell people. It was from Star Wars or something.
  13. dilemma
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
    I pulled out The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma and opened it to my bookmark.
  14. perilous
    fraught with danger
    Trey’s eyes lit up. “Do you have the fourth one? Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants?”
    I did.
  15. willful
    done by design
    “As this is Amy Anne’s first major offense, she won't be expelled,” Principal Banazewski said. “But for theft of school property and for willfully defying the Wake County School Board, Amy Anne is suspended for three days.”
  16. defy
    resist or confront with resistance
    “As this is Amy Anne’s first major offense, she won't be expelled,” Principal Banazewski said. “But for theft of school property and for willfully defying the Wake County School Board, Amy Anne is suspended for three days.”
  17. blindside
    catch unawares, especially with harmful consequences
    I reeled. This, on top of the B.B.L.L. suspension? I was totally blindsided.
  18. controversy
    a dispute where there is strong disagreement
    “At the center of the controversy is Shelbourne Elementary librarian Dr. Opal Jones, who all along has maintained that the books should remain available to all students.”
  19. casualty
    someone injured or killed in a military engagement
    “Tonight, Mrs. Jones became the latest casualty in what observers are calling ‘The Battle of the Books,”’ the reporter said.
  20. deliberately
    with intention; in an intentional manner
    “Whether deliberately or through negligence, Dr. Jones let those books circulate, against the express orders of the school board. As such, her contract has been terminated.”
  21. negligence
    the trait of ignoring responsibilities and lacking concern
    “Whether deliberately or through negligence, Dr. Jones let those books circulate, against the express orders of the school board. As such, her contract has been terminated.”
  22. circulate
    cause to be distributed
    “Whether deliberately or through negligence, Dr. Jones let those books circulate, against the express orders of the school board. As such, her contract has been terminated.”
  23. terminate
    discharge from an office or position
    “Whether deliberately or through negligence, Dr. Jones let those books circulate, against the express orders of the school board. As such, her contract has been terminated.”
  24. tardy
    after the expected or usual time
    I was going to get a tardy slip, but I wasn’t too worried about it.
  25. valiant
    having or showing heroism or courage
    “Welcome back, Amy Anne. As you can see, you were missed by everyone, including me. Now, if we can try to focus on our new vocabulary list? The next word is ‘valiant.’"
Created on Tue Dec 15 08:36:23 EST 2020 (updated Tue Dec 15 08:43:33 EST 2020)

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