The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle: Chapters 1–20

by Leslie Connor
Twelve-year-old Mason Buttle is struggling to cope with learning disabilities, bullies, and the sudden death of his friend Benny. When the investigation into Benny's death casts suspicion on Mason himself, he becomes even more determined to uncover the truth.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–20, Chapters 21–33, Chapters 34–52, Chapters 53–74
25 words 135 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. eliminate
    dismiss from consideration or a contest
    A kid like me does not belong in the spelling bee. But it is for all of seventh grade. This is not how I would kick off the school year, but I’m not in charge. Elimination rounds start in the classrooms.
    I’m eliminated.
  2. derogatory
    expressive of low opinion
    She says, “Handmade...hmmm. I don’t like it. It’s derogatory.”
  3. lieutenant
    an officer in a police force
    She is not the only one who thinks that. Lieutenant Baird thinks it too.
  4. orchard
    a small cultivated area where fruit trees are planted
    You might know our orchard. You might remember it looking alive as a hive late in summer.
  5. shingle
    building material used as siding or roofing
    Then another shingle drops off the roof. Lands in the yard.
  6. gruff
    deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or emotion
    She makes her voice gruff. “Feed it to the Dragon,” she says.
  7. sequence
    the action of following in order
    Is this even a real story? Then I remember sequence. That is the order. The order of how things happen.
  8. commuter
    someone who travels regularly to and from work
    First comes the commuter lot.
  9. cellar
    a room that is partly or wholly below ground level
    That was the day I rode my sled in through her cellar window.
  10. dyslexia
    impaired ability to learn to read
    He said, “We got major dyslexia here.” Waggled his fingers in front of his eyes. Dyslexia is about the letters going all faded or fat.
  11. investigation
    an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities
    Because that’s how an investigation goes. With everyone not knowing what’s important until it’s all put together.
  12. domain
    territory over which rule or control is exercised
    She tells Calvin, “The kitchen is my domain.”
  13. linoleum
    a floor covering made from linseed oil, cork, and resin
    Calvin looks right down at his tan-sandy shoes. Sees that he is standing with his toes on Grandma’s linoleum.
  14. chisel
    an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge
    He likes the chestnut beams and chisel marks.
  15. estimate
    an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth
    He says, “So, here is an estimate. If we say Shayleen got here on October fifteenth. That means she has been here three hundred thirty-six days.”
  16. encounter
    come upon, as if by accident
    He says, “Yeah. I look up everything I encounter.”
  17. gadget
    a small mechanical device or tool
    She has bought gadgets that slice and dice.
  18. acrostic
    verse in which the first letter in each line forms a message
    Then she wrote Annalissetta’s name up on the whiteboard. I couldn’t read it. But I could hear and see that her parents are very fond of letters. And if she ever wrote one of those acrostic poems from her name, well, that would be very long.
  19. cerebral
    of or relating to the brain
    That is because she has cerebral palsy.
  20. jostle
    come into rough contact with while moving
    I jostle that box.
  21. clamp
    fasten with or as with a device that holds things tightly
    Roll of masking tape clamped in her teeth.
  22. holler
    call out loudly
    I holler to Calvin, “Duck! Run!”
  23. skitter
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    And there we go skittering close beside the house.
  24. bound
    move forward by leaping
    He bounds onto the porch.
  25. rambunctious
    noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline
    Shayleen says, “Speaking of in the house...I see you let that rambunctious dog in again.”
Created on Thu Oct 11 13:43:48 EDT 2018 (updated Thu Oct 11 14:26:03 EDT 2018)

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