"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia, List 9

In the summer of 1968, three sisters travel to California to visit their estranged mother. While there, they learn about the fight for equality and civil rights.

This list covers "Wish We Had a Camera"–"Stores of the No Sayers."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, List 6, List 7, List 8, List 9, List 10

Here are links to our lists for other other books by Rita Williams-Garcia: P.S. Be Eleven, Gone Crazy in Alabama, Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
32 words 73 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. exhibit
    something shown to the public
    It wasn’t right to stare at them like they were in an exhibit, but we couldn’t help it.
  2. ban
    prohibit especially by law or social pressure
    Their signs lay on the grass: PEACE, BAN THE DRAFT.
  3. draft
    compulsory military service
    Their signs lay on the grass: PEACE, BAN THE DRAFT.
  4. overlook
    fail to notice
    Then she had to give one to Vonetta, because Vonetta wasn’t about to be overlooked.
  5. encyclopedia
    a reference work containing articles on various topics
    I had seen the pictures in National Geographic magazine and in the encyclopedia.
  6. monstrous
    abnormally large
    Big heads with large fangs, big eyes, monstrous paws.
  7. souvenir
    a reminder of past events
    Still, I put each pink-and-white strip of paper in my shoulder bag as souvenirs.
  8. declare
    state firmly
    “I want a kimono,” Vonetta declared.
  9. pose
    assume a bearing as for artistic purposes
    Vonetta started to pose movie star-style with one hand behind her head and the other on her slim hip.
  10. wharf
    a platform from the shore that provides access to ships
    We rode it all the way down to the wharf, cheering with every clang of the bell.
  11. fare
    the sum charged for riding in a public conveyance
    We climbed aboard, and I paid our fare.
  12. majestic
    having or displaying great dignity or nobility
    These wide-winged birds seemed bigger and majestic, both close-up and far away.
  13. whiff
    a short light gust of air
    Then I remembered what Papa had said, and I stopped myself from falling into the whiff of salt air and flying off with the seagulls like some dreamy flower girl.
  14. citizen
    a native or naturalized member of a state
    When he asked us what we wanted, I answered him like I was at the Center, repeating after Sister Mukumbu or Sister Pat: “We are citizens, and we demand respect.”
  15. civilized
    marked by refinement in taste and manners
    But I was sure Big Ma would have wanted us to say “Yes, sir” and “Please, sir” to show him we were just as civilized as everyone else.
  16. guilt
    remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense
    I hadn’t thought of her at all, and guilt began to have its way with me.
  17. stew
    be in a huff; be silent or sullen
    Before we got too quiet, stewing in our selfishness, Vonetta said, “She wouldn’t want it anyway.”
  18. juvenile
    of or relating to children or young people
    Did you want them to send us to juvenile hall?
  19. peer
    look searchingly
    They followed quickly behind me and timidly peered in.
  20. topple
    fall down, as if collapsing
    The printing machine toppled over.
  21. clumsy
    showing lack of skill or aptitude
    That the police might have touched her papers or picked up her letters with clumsy cop hands.
  22. warrant
    a judicial writ commanding police to perform specified acts
    She and the Black Panthers might have demanded to see the policemen’s search warrant.
  23. fling
    throw with force or recklessness
    Was this “movable type,” like her poem? Each letter free to be flung to all four corners?
  24. stanza
    a fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem
    Then we chose our own stanza but recited the last one together.
  25. release
    grant freedom to; free from confinement
    Sister Mukumbu said we should stay with her until Nzila was released.
  26. oppressed
    burdened psychologically or mentally
    And there was no telling Big Ma that Cecile was a freedom fighter, oppressed by the Man.
  27. manager
    someone who controls resources and expenditures
    Each of us had to present ourselves to the manager or owner.
  28. rankle
    make resentful or angry
    Mean Lady Ming wasn’t rankled by the name Fern called her.
  29. complaint
    an expression of grievance or resentment
    Her complaints, all in Chinese, sounded just like her complaints about customers who wanted extra duck sauce or a free egg roll.
  30. approach
    move towards
    Vonetta and Janice Ankton approached the Shabazz Bakery together.
  31. slogan
    a favorite saying of a sect or political group
    The bakery had pictures of Malcolm X and Black Power slogans on the wall.
  32. guarantee
    promise to do or accomplish
    Places where we weren’t guaranteed a listen or a smile.
Created on 三月 9, 2013 (updated 二月 28, 2019)

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