[Leisha]

I like books where, as Giovanna says, the author puts the unfamiliar word in a context that is easy to understand. I'm not against books that push the boundaries of my vocabulary, but I have difficulty remembering words and their meanings once I've read them (never used to have that trouble). So, for people who have memory problems, learning new words can present a problem: I read and "learn" a word, but then, even just a day later, it escapes me, no matter how many times I tried to memorise it. (I've already forgotten your two examples, Teresa, except that one means a small cart. )

Which is frustrating for someone who used to have a great memory. Books that have many unfamiliar words written without context are infuriating because, upon every re-read, I have to look up the definitions again. I'd like to believe that it's the author's job to widen a reader's vocabulary, but it's no good throwing words around if it interrupts the flow of the story. Good writers will show us what these words mean, so we can understand how they fit in.

Sorry if my views annoy some people.