Hummingbird: Chapters 7–15

by Natalie Lloyd
Eleven-year-old Olive Miracle Martin searches the Tennessee woods for a magical hummingbird to grant her wish for stronger bones so that she could be a normal middle schooler.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–15, Chapters 16–23, Chapters 24–34
35 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. lapel
    a fold of fabric below the collar of a coat or jacket
    I ran my fingers down the flickery sequins of my front lapel.
  2. nook
    a secluded place, corner, or recessed area
    The town of Wildwood is probably the same as most mountain nooks: We’ve got several little shops, a cupcakery, a town library, and a post office with a spray-tan room in the back.
  3. spire
    a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building
    I already knew that Macklemore had two spires, just like a castle. The first spire is where the library is located.
  4. vicinity
    a surrounding or nearby region
    My heart sank into the vicinity of my sneakers.
  5. gutsy
    showing courage and determination in the face of difficulty
    I’d never met anybody gutsy enough to wear wings as part of their everyday outfit, but I knew I wanted to talk to someone who did.
  6. profound
    showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
    She threaded her fingers together, considering my words as if I’d said something truly profound.
  7. entrepreneur
    someone who organizes a business venture
    The card had the same info as her notebook, with a couple of additions:
    GRACE ALICE CHO
    ENTREPRENEUR
    CUSTOM DOGHOUSES FOR YOUR K9 BELOVED & OTHER ARTISTIC NEEDS
    OFFICE LOCATED BACKSTAGE, FOSTER AUDITORIUM
  8. rustle
    make a dry crackling sound
    Backpacks unzipped. Papers rustled.
  9. flustered
    thrown into a state of agitated confusion
    Now my own name felt stuck inside my mouth. What was wrong with me? I don’t get flustered around boys, not even cute ones with shark-tooth necklaces.
  10. perplexed
    full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment
    I was already perplexed by the sixth-grade adventurers.
  11. willowy
    slender and graceful
    Two orphaned girls, willowy-thin with sad eyes and frayed ribbons in their hair.
  12. nemesis
    a personal foe or rival that cannot be easily defeated
    Even Mr. Watson—who was surely the greatest teacher of all time—couldn’t completely hold my attention after that. Especially during math. Numbers are my nemesis. I don’t like to focus on them even in the best of times.
  13. skeptic
    someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
    First Maddie—the class skeptic and class celebrity—said “HI!” and smiled.
  14. plaque
    a tablet that commemorates a person or achievement
    The feather-snow melted over a plaque inscribed with the words: FOSTER AUDITORIUM
  15. transpire
    come about, happen, or occur
    So much had transpired since this morning, when Grace Cho told me about the theater, that I’d pushed this possibility to the way back of my brain.
  16. gig
    a booking for performers
    I’m going to be on Broadway someday. I’ve got a gig in Dollywood this summer.
  17. inferior
    falling short of some prescribed norm
    I really hoped Mrs. Matheson wasn’t the kind of person who thinks homeschool is inferior just because it’s different.
  18. troupe
    an organization of performers and associated personnel
    You could always be my assistant director, maybe? Or an honorary member of the theater troupe?
  19. vein
    a blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart
    Maybe I have poetry in my veins,
    the same way the hummingbird
    has magic in its wings,
    magic in the bone.
  20. grudgingly
    in a reluctant manner
    “I admire your confidence,” Grace said grudgingly.
  21. revelation
    an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
    “I don’t even know anything about birds. That would be a good place to start.”
    My eyebrows floated up my forehead at this revelation. I knew tons about birds.
  22. sentimental
    marked by tender, romantic, or nostalgic emotion
    “Taking a walk down memory lane?” I asked, eager to change the subject.
    “Yeah, I got a little sentimental this afternoon,” Mama said. “I cleaned out the closet and found a box of your baby stuff. Come look at this.”
  23. kiosk
    small area set off by walls for special use
    Kiosks were already being set up outside the Ragged Apple Cafe. They were selling candy apples and pie sticks and also maps of the town and the woods.
  24. accomplice
    a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan
    All I needed was an accomplice. A business associate. Someone who could do the literal legwork of helping me.
  25. alas
    by bad luck
    “Alas,” I said with a dramatic sigh, “this must remain a mystery to you.”
  26. ecstatic
    feeling great rapture or delight
    “I’m ecstatic,” I said. “I have joy-kabooms inside my soul.”
  27. hunker down
    crouch or squat into a low position
    “Hunker down, Hatch!” I whispered extra loudly. “Hunker down!”
    I leaned over so she wouldn’t see my head floating past the office window. To my great surprise, Hatch actually lunged down, too, and started pushing me that way.
  28. stealthy
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    I assumed he disappeared into the hallway the same way he disappears into the woods every night, all stealthy quiet and sneaky fast.
  29. tacky
    tastelessly showy
    They were as multicolored as the wings on her back, which were covered entirely in tacky Christmas bows.
  30. genuinely
    in accordance with truth or fact or reality
    She said my name like she was genuinely excited to see me.
  31. affix
    attach to
    I held out my stack of papers, to which I had affixed my own business card.
  32. draft
    draw up an outline or sketch for something
    We could help each other, you and me. And maybe this is cheesy, but I also feel like we have potential to be actual friends. So I drafted a contract.
  33. elegant
    displaying effortless beauty and simplicity in execution
    First Maddie startled us both when she jumped up on a bench by Madeline, balancing on one leg like an elegant flamingo.
  34. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    Some girls ran out squealing. Most trudged out with heavy-hearted groans.
  35. monstrous
    abnormally large
    What if
    I’m not the kind of girl
    who falls in love
    or does amazing things
    or gets to have a monstrously big life?
Created on Mon Apr 03 09:52:15 EDT 2023 (updated Tue Apr 04 13:29:14 EDT 2023)

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