SKIP TO CONTENT

Yummy: "Yummy" by G. Neri

Based on real events, this graphic novel written by G. Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke traces the life of an eleven-year-old who gets caught up in gang violence.
25 words 867 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Full list of words from this list:

  1. blues
    a type of folksong that originated among Black Americans
    My Grandma says that just a few blocks away from my house Muddy Waters invented Chicago blues.
  2. disciple
    one who believes and helps spread the doctrine of another
    Yummy belonged to a gang called the Black Disciples.
  3. rival
    the contestant you hope to defeat
    And anyone who was a rival on one of their streets was gonna hear from the Black Disciples.
  4. regent
    someone who rules during the absence of the monarch
    They gonna make me regent for this!
  5. crew
    an informal body of friends
    The Black Disciples were his crew.
  6. notorious
    known widely and usually unfavorably
    Like most lost youth of Chicago’s notorious Southside, Yummy comes from a broken home
  7. caution
    judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger
    If you know of his whereabouts, authorities are advising you to use extreme caution and call the police immediately.
  8. presume
    take to be the case or to be true
    He is presumed to be armed and dangerous
  9. execute
    kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
    Is it true that if a kid kills someone he can’t be executed?
  10. neglect
    give little or no attention to
    She neglected her kids and did bad things to them.
  11. thug
    an aggressive and violent young criminal
    We figured he’d always be a little thug.
  12. pledge
    a binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something
    You ready to take the Black Disciples Nation pledge?
  13. universal
    applicable to or common to all members of a group or set
    I bow to the universal code of laws for the almighty Black Disciple Nation.
  14. honor
    a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
    Pledging was the biggest honor for any shorty. It meant you belonged.
  15. felony
    a serious crime, such as murder or arson
    See, back then, the laws were set up so that no shorty could be convicted of a felony.
  16. impress
    have a powerful and usually positive effect on
    The streets were full of tough shorties looking to impress.
  17. therapy
    the act of providing treatment for an illness or disorder
    So they just stuck him back out on the street. Didn’t give him therapy or direction.
  18. strong-arm
    use physical force against
    That Yummy’s a crook. Stood out on that corner and strong-armed kids.
  19. reap
    get or derive
    So they use these kids for hit men, while they sit back and reap the rewards.
  20. respect
    show high regard towards
    Everyone thinks he’s a bad person, but he respects my mom who got cancer.
  21. revenge
    action taken in return for an injury or offense
    I believe Yummy was sent on a specific mission of revenge sparked by a drug feud or a personal insult.
  22. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    Some of these kids we represent are ominous characters.
  23. intimidated
    made scared or fearful as by threats
    Not only was he in the gang, but he wasn’t the least bit intimidated by the courtroom.
  24. homicide
    the killing of a human being by another human being
    The number of gang homicides has nearly tripled since 1980 in Robert and Shavon’s hometown.
  25. deputy
    an assistant with power to act when his superior is absent
    Maybe he wants to make you a deputy. Yeah, that’s right. You a tough shorty now. He’s gonna make you a deputy, alright.
Created on Tue Jun 02 19:45:41 EDT 2015 (updated Mon Sep 10 16:12:48 EDT 2018)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.