James and the Giant Peach

Here are 20 words from James and the Giant Peach.  Become familiar with them before you read the book.
(Note: These and many other words are in the Kid Crosswords Illustrated Online Dictionary)

Example: The car was so old
it was almost ancient.

ancient parchment

Example: Alice was so anxious
about her test the next day
she almost could not sleep.

anxious man

Example: The bride walked proudly down
the aisle in her billowy dress.

angel on billowy clouds

bulge (verb) -- to swell; to grow larger

Example: The teacher was so impressed
by the work of his students that
his eyes bulged out of his head.

bulging garbage can

Example: When the teacher came back
from being sick, she found he
classroom messy, noisy and
in total chaos.

chaotic bus

dazzle (verb) -- to impress greatly

Example: The magician
dazzled the audience
with his tricks.

dazzling fireworks

desolate (adjective) -- empty and lifeless

Example: School playgrounds
are desolate and
quiet during the summer.

desolate desert

Example: Carl was so hungry after
soccer practice that he ate
an enormous lunch.

little dog with enormous head

frenzy (noun) -- temporary madness; sudden extreme emotion

Example: After being given homework by
every teacher, Tracy went into a frenzy.

frenzied alligators

hideous (adjective) -- extremely ugly

Example: After a bad haircut,
Maria's mother thought
she looked hideous.

hideous alien

hover (verb) -- to move to and fro gently; float quietly

Example: Unlike an airplane,
a helicopter can hover
in one place for a long time.

hovering bee

hurl (verb) -- to throw roughly or with violence

Example: Little boys like to hurl
snow balls at cars in the winter.

man hurling rocks

luminous (adjective) -- glowing

Example: The clock was luminous
in the dark room at night.

luminous cell phone

nuisance (noun) -- annoying pest

Example: Many kids think of their
younger brothers or sisters as
nuisances that only cause trouble.

peculiar (adjective) -- strange; unusual; one of a kind

Example: All the children in the
neighborhood thought of Mrs. Grundy
as peculiar, mostly because of the
funny way she dressed.

peculiar machine

rambunctious (adjective) -- wild and unruly; energetic

Example: Young children are known
for being rambunctious and
hard to discipline.

rambunctious girl

recline (verb) -- to lean back

Example: Darrell reclined on
his bed and watched TV
to relax after a long day.

reclining chair

seethe (verb) -- violently angry

Example: After getting into a car
accident, Aaron was seething!

seething bull

shimmer (verb) -- to shine waveringly

Example: The moonlight shimmered
on the lake, lighting up the little waves.

shimmering moon light

spellbound (adjective) -- fascinated, as if by a spell

Example: The teacher was so good
that he kept the children
spellbound with his lessons.

spellbound snake

Join the mailing list