Raymie Nightingale: Chapters 20–30

by Kate DiCamillo
Raymie enters a local pageant, hoping that the publicity will encourage her absent father to reach out to her. She meets Louisiana and Beverly in a baton-twirling class, and the girls forge a friendship that will help each of them cope with their own losses.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–19, Chapters 20–30, Chapters 31–51

Here are links to our lists for other works by Kate DiCamillo: Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Flora & Ulysses, Louisiana's Way Home
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sequin
    a small disk of shiny material used to decorate clothing
    She was wearing an orange dress with silver sequins at the hem and gold sequins sprinkled around its gauzy sleeves.
  2. gauzy
    so thin as to transmit light
    She was wearing an orange dress with silver sequins at the hem and gold sequins sprinkled around its gauzy sleeves.
  3. muffled
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    “There’s no book under here,” said Beverly’s muffled voice a minute later.
  4. drastic
    forceful and extreme and rigorous
    She was suddenly afraid that Beverly might do something drastic and unpredictable, like try to pick up Alice Nebbley and look underneath her.
  5. emerge
    come out into view, as from concealment
    And then, just like before, a skinny arm came out from underneath the covers as if it were emerging from a grave.
  6. whimper
    a complaint uttered in a plaintive whining way
    Louisiana screamed and Raymie let out a whimper, and in Alice Nebbley’s dark and tragic room, Beverly stood quietly without jumping or moving at all.
  7. gruesome
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    Raymie had not imagined any of these gruesome outcomes in particular, but she did feel a very deep sense of dread.
  8. dread
    fearful expectation or anticipation
    Raymie had not imagined any of these gruesome outcomes in particular, but she did feel a very deep sense of dread.
  9. authoritative
    having ascendancy or influence
    His keys were jangling, and his janitor boots were making a very authoritative sound as they hit the polished floor of the Golden Glen.
  10. determined
    characterized by great firmness of purpose
    The janitor had a determined look on his face.
  11. clatter
    a rattling noise
    And Mrs. Sylvester was surely at her desk, typing, the giant jar of candy corn in front of her trembling slightly from the hum and clatter of the electric typewriter.
  12. careen
    move sideways or in an unsteady way
    But whatever she intended to say next was interrupted by the appearance of the Elefante station wagon. It came careening down Borton Street, emitting great clouds of black smoke.
  13. emit
    give off, send forth, or discharge
    But whatever she intended to say next was interrupted by the appearance of the Elefante station wagon. It came careening down Borton Street, emitting great clouds of black smoke.
  14. cacophony
    loud confusing disagreeable sounds
    They were going very, very fast, and the car emitted a lot of noises: screeches (from the piece of loose wood siding), thumps (from the door that would not stay closed), and a cacophony of mechanical grinding noises—the overworked and desperate sounds an engine makes when it has been pushed beyond its limits.
  15. outwit
    beat through cleverness
    “Don’t worry,” said Louisiana. “Granny is the best there is. She has outwitted Marsha Jean every single time.”
  16. wily
    marked by skill in deception
    “The trick with people like Marsha Jean,” said Louisiana’s grandmother, “is to be forever wily, to fight back, to never give up or give in.”
  17. technically
    according to the exact meaning; according to the facts
    Raymie understood that, technically, she should be afraid.
  18. humble
    low or inferior in station or quality
    “Welcome, welcome,” said the grandmother, spreading her arms wide. “Welcome to our humble abode.”
  19. abode
    housing that someone is living in
    “Welcome, welcome,” said the grandmother, spreading her arms wide. “Welcome to our humble abode.”
  20. acquaintance
    a relationship less intimate than friendship
    “It’s such a pleasure to make the acquaintance of Louisiana’s best friend,” said the grandmother to Raymie.
  21. idolize
    love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess
    “Oh, yes, you. It’s ‘Raymie this’ and ‘Raymie that’ all the livelong day. It must be wonderful to be idolized so. Now. Just let me locate the can opener,” the grandmother said, “and we will have ourselves a tuna-fish feast.”
  22. threshold
    the entrance for passing through a room or building
    She was standing at the threshold to the kitchen.
  23. recollection
    something recalled to the mind
    “I just now have had a sudden recollection. The can opener is in the car.”
  24. elegant
    refined and tasteful in appearance, behavior, or style
    “My father was a magician, the most elegant and deceitful man who ever lived. I learned a few things from him that I’ve found to be of some use—sleights of hand, for instance, how to conceal things.”
  25. deceitful
    marked by deliberate deceptiveness
    “My father was a magician, the most elegant and deceitful man who ever lived. I learned a few things from him that I’ve found to be of some use—sleights of hand, for instance, how to conceal things.”
  26. sleight
    adroitness in using the hands
    “My father was a magician, the most elegant and deceitful man who ever lived. I learned a few things from him that I’ve found to be of some use—sleights of hand, for instance, how to conceal things.”
  27. astray
    away from the right path or direction
    “Beware of the brokenhearted,” said the grandmother, “for they will lead you astray.”
  28. expanse
    the extent of a surface enclosed within a boundary
    Behind her was the bookcase, filled with all of Raymie’s father’s books, and behind that was the yellow expanse of the shag carpet, which seemed to go on forever.
  29. bewildered
    extremely confused and uncertain what to do
    She felt, more than anything else, bewildered.
  30. whinny
    make a characteristic sound, of a horse
    She liked how Mrs. Borkowski threw back her head and opened her mouth wide and whinnied when something was funny.
  31. prostrate
    render helpless or defenseless
    Louisiana’s grandmother had a tissue in her hand, and she waved it back and forth in front of her face and said to no one in particular, “I am positively prostrate with grief.”
  32. grief
    intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one
    Louisiana’s grandmother had a tissue in her hand, and she waved it back and forth in front of her face and said to no one in particular, “I am positively prostrate with grief.”
  33. scuffle
    disorderly fighting
    Just as she said these terrible words, a scuffle erupted around the food table.
  34. erupt
    start suddenly
    Just as she said these terrible words, a scuffle erupted around the food table.
  35. implication
    a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
    And then Louisiana’s grandmother said, “I am uncertain exactly what you are implying, but I can assure you that I do not care for the implication, whatever it is.”
Created on Wed Sep 12 15:15:40 EDT 2018 (updated Wed Mar 06 09:27:34 EST 2019)

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