Kwame Crashes the Underworld: Chapter 3

by Craig Kofi Farmer
Twelve-year-old Kwame is struggling to face the death of his beloved grandmother. But a heroic journey through the Ghanaian underworld, filled with mythology and magic, offers him a transformative experience ultimately preparing him for his grandmother’s celebration of life.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapters 5–6, Chapter 7, Chapters 8–9, Chapters 10–11, Chapters 12–15, Chapters 16–18,
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sinister
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    The clouds look sinister in the darkness and shroud any stars that may have been visible.
    Even though I’ve always been a fan of how big Autumn’s yard is, I’m now realizing how inconvenient it is when chasing a tiny primate.
  2. primate
    any mammal of the group including monkeys, apes, and humans
    The clouds look sinister in the darkness and shroud any stars that may have been visible.
    Even though I’ve always been a fan of how big Autumn’s yard is, I’m now realizing how inconvenient it is when chasing a tiny primate.
  3. smattering
    a small number or amount
    The monkey hangs close to streetlamps rather than retreating to any of the neighborhood’s shadowy smatterings of trees.
  4. cul de sac
    a street with only one way in or out
    I roll through neighbors’ yards, cut through cul-de-sacs, and squeeze through fences— whatever I need to do to keep that little thief in my sight.
  5. don
    put on clothes
    I turn to see Autumn, sprinting up the street with a newly donned magenta track jacket and a pair of Adidas sneakers.
  6. sheathe
    enclose with a protective covering
    Her sword hangs, sheathed, by a strap on her back as she approaches.
  7. navigate
    direct carefully and safely
    With just a few of the lampposts working, we only have a dim pool of light to work with as we navigate the Cape Fear Pier.
  8. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    Woo is at the edge of the pier, watching the water surge through the canal.
    “Nowhere to run,” I seethe, creeping toward Woo.
  9. vacillate
    move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern
    Woo turns to us, clutching the dashiki to his chest like a pearl necklace. His yellow eyes vacillate between me and Autumn.
  10. modest
    limited in size or scope
    I can only watch as the monkey falls about twenty feet into the river, the impact creating a modest bloop in the blue-brown water that sloshes beneath the dock.
  11. toxin
    a poisonous substance produced organically
    The thought of diving into that water makes me cringe; just last weekend, Autumn was here, live streaming while she helped clean the river of toxins and pollutants.
  12. brandish
    move or swing back and forth
    The woman is sitting in a fishing chair, but she’s not holding a fishing line, a hook, or any other gear. She’s wearing a red, black, and yellow kaba and slit, a colorful Ghanaian dress traditionally worn for church events or reunions. Her outfit is topped off with a sparkling golden headdress.
    The non-fisherwoman is also brandishing a crooked staff, curved at the top like a wooden candy cane.
  13. accentuate
    put stress on
    “The creature you’re chasing is called an aboatia,” the woman answers, accentuating the syllables in the word.
  14. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
    I grit my teeth. “It was my grandmother’s. She died a few weeks ago. It’s the last thing I have of hers.”
    The woman closes her eyes and gives a reverent nod. “Ah, yes. Your grandmother. A good woman.”
  15. wistful
    showing pensive sadness
    The stranger gives a wistful smile, like she’s savoring a fond memory. “To be a Queen Mother, one makes a pact with Mother Earth. They serve the world and all that is nourished by her—and in return, their families are blessed.”
  16. nourish
    provide with sustenance
    The stranger gives a wistful smile, like she’s savoring a fond memory. “To be a Queen Mother, one makes a pact with Mother Earth. They serve the world and all that is nourished by her—and in return, their families are blessed.”
  17. compassion
    the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others
    “Your grandmother was wise, fair, and filled with compassion,” the woman continues.
  18. ethereal
    of heaven or the spirit
    “Wh-who are you?” I demand.
    “Someone who knows what that pattern in your palm means.” The fake fisherwoman points her walking stick, and the ray of moonlight swings down toward me, almost like she is conducting an ethereal symphony with the moonlight. “Not every human is born as a canvas for celestial writings.”
  19. celestial
    of heaven or the spirit
    “Wh-who are you?” I demand.
    “Someone who knows what that pattern in your palm means.” The fake fisherwoman points her walking stick, and the ray of moonlight swings down toward me, almost like she is conducting an ethereal symphony with the moonlight. “Not every human is born as a canvas for celestial writings.”
  20. advocate
    speak, plead, or argue in favor of
    “As a Queen Mother, your grandmother protected life in all its forms and advocated for the needs of nature. Now it is your turn to shoulder this mission.”
    “My turn? I haven’t even turned thirteen!”
  21. manipulate
    control or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage
    “Yet your spirit holds more power than you know. Power great enough to manipulate the Earth around you. And you know why—you saw her in your dream tonight, didn’t you? The one your grandmother served?”
  22. tranquility
    a disposition free from stress or emotion
    “If you want to go after the aboatia, I will not stop you. You will find answers to the questions you have. But know that when you jump into that water, you will face trials, the likes of which you’ve never experienced. You will need to find the courage to accept who you are, all of you. Only if you do that will you be able to return. And perhaps you may even gain the tranquility that you seek.”
  23. turbid
    clouded as with sediment
    I peek over the dock and see something strange. There’s a whirlpool in the turbid river. The watery funnel looks speckled with stars, like a portal to a deep, dark place.
  24. overestimate
    make too high an approximation of
    But I’m already in the air. For a second, I feel like the couple from my dream—flying through the night, under hungry clouds.
    I look down and my heart drops; I just undershot it. The whirlpool is massive, and I seriously overestimated how far I could jump.
  25. barrage
    an overwhelming or vigorous outpouring
    The last thing I think about is Autumn’s stunned expression, before my body starts to simultaneously sink and spin. A barrage of bubbles fills my vision. The stars in the water wink at me as I fall deeper into the cold and farther into the otherworldly dark.
Created on Mon Mar 24 20:48:26 EDT 2025 (updated Fri Apr 11 17:44:54 EDT 2025)

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