Ruthie cried because Papa was
moving the furniture
Isabel's boat pulls up to the shore in
the Bahamas
Mahmoud is happy that the life vest on the dead man is blue because
he knows the dead man cannot be his father
pleased by compliments or attention
flattered
a guiding signal or light
beacon
The author took Mama out of the action by
causing her to fall asleep
Tourists help Isabel and her boatmates by
providing food and water
Mahmoud finds his father again
aboard the Coast Guard ship
delicate; easily broken
fragile
to discuss together
confer
Papa was rescued by
a Cuban policeman
Isabel notices that her father
is acting more caring towards Mami
Mahmoud feels that Hana
might still be with them if he hadn't given her away
to come into view
emerge
huge
Josef's father's jump overboard causes
police boats to surround the St. Louis
Papi suggests a way
to keep the boat afloat longer
Waleed sees the big ferry and is
not really interested in it
to tense the body in pain
wince
unable to understand
incoherently
Josef's father is now
in a hospital
Isabel's mother
goes into labor
Mahmoud's family will have to sneak across Greece's border because
they didn't get official documents
random; disorganized
haphazard
to scold or lecture
chastise