Monday's Not Coming: List 2

by Tiffany D. Jackson
When Claudia's best friend disappears, Claudia is determined to find out what happened to her.

This list covers pages 103–213 in the 2018 HarperCollins edition.

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

Here is a link to our lists for another work by Tiffany D. Jackson: Allegedly
35 words 81 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. malicious
    having the nature of threatening evil
    She glared at me, eyebrow rising, then glanced back at Ma. Her face brightened but somehow still seemed malicious, like a blackened sun.
  2. raspy
    unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
    “Well, look at y’all in your Sunday best,” she said with a raspy laugh.
  3. eviction
    the removal of someone occupying a home or land
    People already started getting them eviction notices.
  4. coalition
    an organization of people involved in a pact or treaty
    “Pastor is talking about forming a coalition. Get folks involved.”
  5. chutney
    a spicy relish usually made with fruit, vinegar, and spices
    Daddy kissed Ma as she stood at the stove boiling cranberries for the chutney.
  6. bashful
    self-consciously timid
    She chuckled bashfully over her spoon.
  7. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    I picked up Pinky by the yarns of her hair, flopping her from side to side, mulling it over as a twinge of jealousy surfaced.
  8. unravel
    disentangle
    His hair did look fly. Monday wove his braids in zigzags, leaving the ends out slightly unraveled.
  9. cobbler
    a pie made of fruit with rich biscuit dough on top
    The week after Thanksgiving, with everyone’s bellies full of Ma’s sweet potato pie and peach cobbler, Mr. Hill called Ma to request a special meeting after school.
  10. impeccable
    without error or flaw
    “Her homework from previous years, however, seemed to be impeccable,” Ms. O’Donnell said. “I’m curious, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman, do you help Claudia with her assignments?”
  11. dyslexia
    impaired ability to learn to read
    “She prints her test and quizzes on blue paper. Commonly, students with dyslexia process information differently. When presented in such a way, color reduces confusion. It’s one of the key identifying traits I picked up on.”
  12. materialize
    come into being; become reality
    “Sometimes these issues materialize in other ways, as a form of distraction,” Mr. Hill started carefully. “Could explain some...behavioral issues Claudia’s had over the last year.”
  13. tender
    not hardy; easily killed by adverse growing condition
    That’s why if Ma was a color, she’d be pink with her sweetness. A tender flower, a bubbly pop of chewing gum, two scoops of strawberry ice cream.
  14. blunt
    devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment
    Life outside our bubble was blunt and cruel, and I had had enough of it to know when it was time to retreat.
  15. mesmerize
    induce hypnosis in
    But no one moved, all too mesmerized by the scene of the most popular boy in school being overpowered by a girl—a girl who up until that moment had never made much of a fuss, who some barely noticed.
  16. askew
    turned or twisted to one side
    “No. She won’t,” Monday said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, her clothes askew, buttons lost, tights ripped, with hair pointing in every direction.
  17. saunter
    walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
    At that moment, two girls with long braids sauntered by, giggling.
  18. lanky
    tall and thin and having long slender limbs
    A tall, lanky, light-skinned kid with a low cut called from behind us.
  19. furrow
    make or become wrinkled or creased
    “Wait, Claudia?” Kam questioned, his brows furrowing. “Oh right, Monday’s homegirl.”
  20. oblivious
    lacking conscious awareness of
    Michael grinned, oblivious.
  21. dwindle
    become smaller or lose substance
    Maybe it was my silence, or maybe he felt the ruby-red anger sizzling off my skin, but his upbeat mood dwindled with each step.
  22. amok
    wildly; without self-control
    We sat on the bench outside the Starbucks, watching shoppers walk by with their massive bags, couples holding hands, and children running amok.
  23. alleged
    declared but not proved
    “Over the last few months we've had dozens of girls around here reported missing, close to fifty in one week. Alleged kidnappings when most of them just run off away from home ’cause they can’t do what they want.”
  24. brace
    prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
    I swallowed, bracing myself.
  25. slog
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    She slogged toward the stairs.
  26. wary
    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    Ms. Valente stared at her with a wary eye.
  27. knack
    a special way of doing something
    She loved cooking next to Ma and had a knack for keeping the kiddies occupied.
  28. backpedal
    reverse or retreat from one's position on an issue
    “She’s...at her dad’s. I mean, her aunt’s,” I said, backpedaling. Because even though that’s what everyone had told me, it felt like a lie.
  29. trivial
    (informal) small and of little importance
    It felt good to be useful for a change. To take my mind off my problems, which seemed so trivial in comparison to everyone else’s.
  30. temperamental
    subject to sharply varying moods
    One day they the best of friends, the next day they enemies. Y’all know how...temperamental y’all women can get.
  31. stifle
    smother or suppress
    The girls stifled their giggles, sounding like squeaky markers on a whiteboard.
  32. generic
    not protected by trademark
    “Well, let me get you some aspirin anyways.”
    Ms. Moser took a generic bottle out the cabinet and filled up a cup at the water cooler.
  33. turnout
    the rotation of a dancer's leg from the hip
    “Claudia, you must fully extend your arms,” Ms. Manis corrected, her voice just a touch above the music pouring out the speakers. “And watch your turnout.”
  34. jar
    affect in a disagreeable way
    Without her, my imperfections seemed jarring, like coloring an ocean carrot orange rather than cyan.
  35. unattainable
    impossible to achieve
    Monday licked her lips, thirsty for the unattainable. “There ain’t no other girl in the whole school who’ll be blond like me. I’mma be the first!”
Created on Tue Feb 12 14:30:14 EST 2019 (updated Thu Feb 14 09:59:06 EST 2019)

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