South of Somewhere: List 4: The Interrogation–The Marching Band

by Kalena Miller
Twelve-year-old Mavis Callahan, her father, and her siblings must adjust to life in the small town of Somewhere, Illinois, after her mother goes on the run following an embezzlement charge.

Here are links to our lists for the book:
List 1: Astor Street–Horror Scopes
List 2: Embezzlement–Door to Door
List 3: Triple Trouble–The Third of July
List 4: The Interrogation–The Marching Band
List 5: Basement Meeting–One Month Later
15 words 11 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. croon
    sing softly
    At first no one notices them—everyone is distracted by the bounce house, frisbee tossing, and the country singer crooning about the good ol’ USA.
  2. vital
    urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    “But it is vital—absolutely vital—that you tell us any information you have about your mother. Do you know where she might be living? Have you received correspondence from her?”
  3. muster
    summon up, call forth, or bring together
    I muster enough energy to push her aside and tuck my legs underneath me.
  4. bustle
    move or cause to move energetically or busily
    Rather than talking to my friend, I bustle around the living room, sorting craft supplies and folding blankets.
  5. rickety
    inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
    It’s located between the only other two buildings in the tiny downtown area of Fairbank—a rickety ice cream shack and Big Ed’s General Store.
  6. whim
    an odd or fanciful or capricious idea
    On a whim, I reach for the keyboard again and type “Bermuda” and “spearfishing” into the search engine.
  7. quintet
    a musical composition for five performers
    Camille was practicing for her woodwind quintet.
  8. measly
    contemptibly small in amount
    But now, every single thing about that night disgusts me. The measly tip she left for the waiter...
  9. relent
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    I’m tempted to camp out on her front porch until she relents.
  10. considerate
    showing concern for the rights and feelings of others
    It was considerate of her to keep my molding friend in her home for this long, and I felt too foolish to protest.
  11. opt
    select as an alternative over another
    I spit the half-chewed oats into the trash can and opt for Pop-Tarts instead.
  12. quiver
    shake with fast, tremulous movements
    Is she laughing? Or quivering with rage?
  13. remnant
    a small part remaining after the main part no longer exists
    It’s like seeing a collage of the last few days, but stickier. The granola bar I took one bite of before discarding. The remnants of the baked ziti Aunt Melissa cooked last night.
  14. grimace
    a contorted facial expression
    Melanie’s smile turns into a grimace as Oliver runs between us with the drum.
  15. gusto
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
    Nash blows on the flute with gusto, producing an earsplitting screech.
Created on Tue Nov 04 03:26:55 EST 2025 (updated Tue Dec 23 13:27:30 EST 2025)

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