Mommy

“Richie, forget it,” I mumbled. “Naw. If they put Jesus in this picture here, and He ain’t black, they should make Him gray. Jesus should be gray.” 35 Richie stopped going to Sunday school after that, though he never stopped believing in God. Mommy tried and tried to make him go back, but he wouldn’t. “The New Testament”, from The Color of Water by James McBride, © 1996 by James McBride. Used by permission of Riverheads Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Vocabulary help 120

keep them from tugging on a leash by replicating the action of mother dogs who lift puppies by the scruff of their necks and/or put their snouts in her mouth. Far from being violent offenders, haltered dogs are simply pups taking direction from a mommy surrogate (you). They can open their mouths, drink, eat, carry toys … all the things that good dogs are allowed to do.62 Many dog owners swear by these items, sold under such names as Gentle Leader, Halti, and Snoot Loops. They’re thrilled by their

writing this book while you were pregnant and chasing a toddler around—you’re incredible! Samantha Benoit Robbins, thanks for being my “extra spicy girl” and for the way you express yourself so passionately. You are such a great teacher to me and mommy, and I love you very much. Annarose Benoit Robbins, thanks for coming into this world and bringing your peaceful, beautiful spirit into our family. You had a big influence on this book from your mommy’s belly, and we’re so grateful to be your parents

mistreated maltraitent : mistreat maltraiter : mistreat maltraitèrent : mistreated maltraités : mistreated maltraitez : mistreat maltraitons : mistreat malveillance : malevolence, ill will, malignancy malversation : malpractice maman : mam, mammy, mom, mommy French−english Dictionary 1093 French−english (dictionnaire) mamelle : breast, teat mamelon : nipple mamelonné : hilly mammiferes : mammal manager : impresario, manager manche : sleeve mandarine : mandarin mandat : mandate mandater : instruct

get here? She must have hidden herself here and not slept all night.” He began questioning her. The girl suddenly came to life and began prattling something to him very, very quickly in her child's language. There was something in it about “mommy” and that “mommy was gonna beat her,” about some cup she had “bwoken.” The girl talked nonstop. It was possible to make out haphazardly from all she said that she was an unloved child, beaten down and terrorized by her mother, some eternally drunken cook,

normally referred to by her title as “Ayah.” This is not meant to depersonalize the girl but to indicate intimacy, because family members are normally referred to by their roles rather than their names, much as a very small American child might refer to “Mommy” and “Daddy” without being sure of their actual given names. Ayah’s natural beauty and sensuality naturally attract men, and the young Lenny perceives this as an intriguing source of magnetic power. Meanwhile Lenny’s little cousin (called simply “Cousin”)