A Piece of Home

A Piece of Home

Vocabulary

Guy Swentek

Wilson Elementary

bureaubureau• a chest of drawers to store clothing,

usually used in the bedroom

On Mama’s bureaubureau is a picture of Cousin Elie with Aunt Marissaand Uncle Ivan.

elevatorelevator• a transport device used to move goods or

people vertically (up & down)

He lives in an apartment building with many floors and an elevatorelevator…

strangestrangeodd or even a bit weird

Cousin Elie’s house in America looks strangestrange.

treasuretreasure• any possession that is highly

valued by its owner

“Only one special treasuretreasure for each of us,” says Papa.

garmoshkagarmoshka• a kind of Russian button accordiona kind of Russian button accordion

Papa says, “I must take my garmoshka,

for how could I live in America without music?”

• a metal urn with a spigot at the base; used in Russia to boil water for tea

Mama says, “I will take our small .”

RussiaRussiann• a former communist

country in eastern Europe and northern Asia

My sister Marissa loved our goodMy sister Marissa loved our good RussianRussian Tea.Tea.

harnessharness leather straps usedleather straps used

to control horsesto control horses

The brass harnessharness bells he lovesto hear on a winter’s night?

wringwring•twist and squeezetwist and squeeze

MamaMama wringswrings her hands.her hands.

gathergather• assemble or bring together

Gregor gathersgathers up the blanket.

journeyjourney• travel; a trip

The longThe long journeyjourney begins at the begins at the airport, filled airport, filled with noise.with noise.

passportpassport• an official government document certifying

identity and citizenship and granting permission to travel in and out of the country

Papa and Papa and MamaMama

are busy withare busy withpassportspassports

and papers.and papers.

fringefringeedging on cloth consisting of hanging threads or tassels

He is wearing boots and a leather vest with fringesfringes, just like a cowboy.