The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street: Chapters 8–12

by Karina Yan Glaser
After learning that they are going to be evicted from their Brooklyn home, the five Vanderbeeker children come up with a scheme to convince their landlord to allow them to stay.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–7, Chapters 8–12, Chapters 13–18, Chapter 19–Epilogue
40 words 125 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
    “I think Allegra looks lovely,” Isa said, gazing at Allegra reverently.
  2. abominable
    unequivocally detestable
    She held up the least abominable of the dresses, a floor-length sleeveless peach-colored dress that had a high waist and fell in soft folds to the ground.
  3. appalled
    struck with dread, shock, or dismay
    But there Isa was, standing before her, looking so elegant and grown up in the peach gown, not looking a bit appalled by the idea of going to a fancy-pants dance.
  4. impeccable
    without error or flaw
    “Yeah,” said Isa dreamily, admiring herself from different angles in the mirror, her impeccable posture making her look stage-ready for Carnegie Hall.
  5. reverie
    an abstracted state of absorption
    Isa snapped out of her reverie and looked at Allegra.
  6. conscience
    motivation deriving from ethical or moral principles
    He pulled out a fresh sheet of notebook paper, briefly contemplated the content of his letter, then wrote the following: To the scoundrel on the third floor,
    I hope your conscience has robbed you of sleep.
  7. woe
    misery resulting from affliction
    Woe be to the man who does not heed my advice.
  8. heed
    pay close attention to
    Woe be to the man who does not heed my advice.
  9. stealthily
    in a manner marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    Oliver stealthily slipped the letter under the door, then snuck back down the stairs, quiet as a mouse.
  10. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    When Oliver reentered his apartment, feeling as smug as a peacock with a full plume of feathers, he ran straight into Jessie.
  11. plume
    a feather or cluster of feathers worn as an ornament
    When Oliver reentered his apartment, feeling as smug as a peacock with a full plume of feathers, he ran straight into Jessie.
  12. belligerently
    in the manner of someone eager to fight
    “Why not?” Jessie asked him belligerently. “Don’t you think my old jeans and stained sweatshirts are gross? Don’t you think I should dress nicer?”
  13. entreat
    ask for or request earnestly
    “Listen, I’m an innocent bystander here,” Oliver entreated, hands held up in surrender.
  14. corsage
    an arrangement of flowers that is usually given as a present
    Allegra shrugged and returned to her new favorite topic, the eighth grade dance. “My mom said Carlson will bring me a corsage and I should get him a boutonniere...."
  15. boutonniere
    a flower that is worn in a buttonhole
    Allegra shrugged and returned to her new favorite topic, the eighth grade dance. “My mom said Carlson will bring me a corsage and I should get him a boutonniere...."
  16. unabashed
    not embarrassed
    The five Vanderbeeker kids were unabashedly eavesdropping on their mother’s phone conversation.
  17. prospective
    of or concerned with or related to the future
    “Mr. Beiderman will have a real estate broker start showing the apartment to prospective renters beginning tomorrow. He strongly suggests that we not be in the apartment when it is shown.”
  18. monotone
    unvarying in pitch
    “Apparently it’s in our lease and we signed off on it. The landlord has the right of entry for the purpose of showing the space to a prospective tenant in the last thirty days of our lease,” Mama recited in a monotone voice.
  19. flit
    move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
    Her eyes flitted between Mama and Papa.
  20. dejected
    affected or marked by low spirits
    “Yeah,” said Isa, Oliver, and Hyacinth in dejected agreement, while Laney yelled, “Tree! Tree! I want a tree!”
  21. splay
    widen or spread apart
    “It has to be fluffy, not skinny,” Oliver added, his arms splayed wide.
  22. coerce
    cause to do through pressure or necessity
    Then she coerced Papa into dragging the tree to her sisters and brother.
  23. indifferent
    marked by a lack of interest
    “Laney has never chosen the tree before,” Isa admitted with an indifferent shrug.
  24. arbor
    tree
    “We’re supposed to get a tall, fluffy, symmetrical tree. This tree”—Oliver pointed to the offending arbor—“fulfills exactly zero of our specifications.”
  25. relent
    give in, as to influence or pressure
    Papa relented. Mr. Ritchie wrapped the tree in netting while Papa pulled out his wallet to pay.
  26. dearth
    an insufficient quantity or number
    Laney carried the small tree, and Papa hitched the bigger one on his shoulder. The dearth of boughs and pine needles made it light and easy to carry.
  27. bough
    any of the larger branches of a tree
    Laney carried the small tree, and Papa hitched the bigger one on his shoulder. The dearth of boughs and pine needles made it light and easy to carry.
  28. ethereal
    characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
    The church with the stained-glass windows was illuminated from the inside, which gave the building an ethereal look.
  29. menorah
    a seven- or nine-branched candelabrum used in Jewish worship
    Christmas trees and menorahs were displayed in the windows of many apartments.
  30. rapturous
    feeling great delight
    She crouched down next to Laney, who gazed rapturously at the bedraggled tree.
  31. bedraggled
    in deplorable condition
    She crouched down next to Laney, who gazed rapturously at the bedraggled tree.
  32. engrossed
    giving or marked by complete attention to
    Mama and Papa were so engrossed in their own thoughts and conversation that they didn’t hear the two sets of footsteps pitter-patter down the upstairs hallway.
  33. pry
    move or force in an effort to get something open
    “Isa, wake up!” Hyacinth pried open one of her sister’s eyelids.
  34. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
    “No way,” Oliver said obstinately. “Papa said we were going to stay in the neighborhood. I remember.”
  35. canvass
    get opinions by asking specific questions
    Jessie had dressed Laney in so many layers that Isa feared if Laney fell down she wouldn’t be able to get up by herself. Together they canvassed the sidewalk outside their building on 141st Street, equipped with clipboards and pens.
  36. indefinitely
    to an unknown extent
    We, the undersigned, respectfully ask that Mr. Beiderman renew the Vanderbeeker lease indefinitely.
  37. plight
    a situation from which extrication is difficult
    The kids were spaced out along the street, flagging down their neighbors and other pedestrians, explaining their plight.
  38. fictitious
    formed or conceived by the imagination
    “Dang. I thought it was a good one.” Jimmy L’s voice was muffled by his scarf. He scratched out the fictitious name and wrote “Mike L. Jordan” instead.
  39. confidential
    indicating intimacy
    “I wonder why he didn’t say anything about it,” Mrs. Castleman replied. “But he has seemed grouchy lately.” She leaned toward Isa confidentially. “You know how teenagers get. I’ll tell him to come by. You always make him feel better.”
  40. convene
    meet formally
    When the Vanderbeeker kids had been out for about an hour, they convened back at the brownstone.
Created on Thu Nov 07 20:43:03 EST 2019 (updated Thu Nov 14 16:14:41 EST 2019)

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