On the Far Side of the Mountain: I Learn to Think Like a Pig–I Get News of Alice

by Jean Craighead George
In this sequel to My Side of the Mountain, Sam Gribley's sister Alice joins her brother in the Catskill Mountains. But when Alice disappears and Sam's beloved falcon is taken away, he must fight to get them back.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: A Storm Breaks–A Trade Comes My Way, I Go Backwards in Order to Go Forwards–Zella Makes Sense, I Learn to Think Like a Pig–I Get News of Alice, The Dawn Breaks over Me–A Bird Talks to Me

Here are links to our lists for the My Side of the Mountain trilogy by Jean Craighead George: My Side of the Mountain, On the Far Side of the Mountain, Frightful's Mountain

And here is a link to Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. vigorous
    characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity
    This brook, which starts on the east side of my mountain, is vigorous and so cold it feels as if it were melted snow.
  2. linger
    take one's time; proceed slowly
    Bando lingers over a rock outcrop, and we are happy to see a swatch of rare bluebells.
  3. confluence
    a place where things merge or flow together
    Farther along we come to the confluence of the Little Delaware and the West Branch, and Bando takes out his compass and map again.
  4. cloven
    (used of hooves) split, divided
    “Pig tracks?” he asks dubiously as he looks at the cloven prints.
  5. contour
    a line drawn on a map connecting points of equal height
    “Fitches Brook is it,” I say, pointing to a cluster of brown contour lines drawn close together which indicate a steep hill.
  6. strew
    spread by scattering
    Finding none where the strewn leaves are, I search the other side of the oak.
  7. ferocious
    marked by extreme and violent energy
    Once the eggs are laid, the birds incubate them, and when they hatch, the sight of the nestlings triggers a ferocious parental love.
  8. pristine
    immaculately clean and unused
    At dawn we return our campsite pretty much to its original pristine appearance and walk on down the brook.
  9. identification
    the process of recognizing something by remembering
    Pig droppings nearby clinch the identification, and then, looking around, I see Crystal’s tracks in the soft loam.
  10. meridian
    an imaginary great circle on the surface of the earth
    Then, when the sun passed the meridian, we put another marker on the afternoon stone-shadow.
  11. traverse
    journey across or pass over
    We traverse fields and forests, walk through barren lands where quails and woodcocks fly up at our feet, and, after twelve miles of bushwhacking, enter the Plattekill State Forest.
  12. vista
    the visual percept of a region
    Bando is a little stiff and sore this morning, so we walk slowly, enjoying the vistas from the skyline of this mountain range.
  13. gnarled
    old and twisted and covered in lines
    The porch furniture looks like my lounging chair, and the trim on the gable is a weaving of gnarled oaks and maple branches.
  14. ascent
    a movement upward
    Bando and I climbed the steep gorge to the top, searching every cave and ledge along the ascent, and found no sign of her or her pig, no clues to say that they were here.
  15. contiguous
    having a common boundary or edge
    Rather, he looks for an answer himself by taking out the map of Schoharie county, which we’re in, and the map of Albany county, which we’re coming to, and spreading them contiguously.
  16. radical
    far beyond the norm
    He’s the only one around for miles, and since she’s not at this falls, she’s doing something radically different.
  17. pretense
    feign or make believe with intention to deceive
    The ones I know have no time for pretense.
  18. resound
    ring or echo with noise
    Footsteps resound and the door is opened by a large, bony gentleman.
  19. suspect
    imagine to be the case or true or probable
    It’s as I suspected. He’s eating.
  20. feudal
    relating to a system where vassals are protected by lords
    They were the feudal lords of what is now Albany county.
  21. influential
    having or exercising power
    The Van Rensselaers made fortunes and became a powerful and influential family.
  22. subterranean
    being or operating under the surface of the earth
    Deep in them we can hear subterranean rivers rushing off through the netherworld, and our voices echo and re-echo through the halls.
  23. concern
    an anxious feeling
    I am concerned about Alice’s using the name Van Rensselaer.
  24. imposter
    a person who makes deceitful pretenses
    Imposters are not appreciated, not even yellow-headed ones.
  25. burly
    muscular and heavily built
    When Bando’s breakfast is set before him, I turn to the burly man beside me.
  26. embolden
    give encouragement to
    “Sir,” I say to the stranger, emboldened by the comforting shelves of canning jars and bins of nails and feed.
  27. devastate
    overwhelm or overpower
    I’m devastated as Alice slips away again.
  28. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
    The postmistress unwittingly gave me the answer.
  29. farfetched
    highly imaginative but unlikely
    “She sent a message by changing her name?” Bando says incredulously. “That’s pretty farfetched.
  30. repertoire
    a collection of works that an artist or company can perform
    Then I whistle Frightful’s name several times. It would be fun if he added that to his repertoire.
  31. hoax
    something intended to deceive
    I can’t keep up this hoax much longer.
  32. deference
    a courteous expression of esteem or regard
    They are staring at me, smiling, almost in deference.
  33. lilting
    characterized by a buoyant rhythm
    With a couple of lilting strides, I join Bando.
  34. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “She is very pretty,” Bando chides and sets his pace to mine.
  35. defensive
    an attitude of excessive sensitivity to criticism
    “I did learn something,” I tell him defensively.
Created on Tue Jul 21 20:33:01 EDT 2015 (updated Tue Sep 11 10:19:25 EDT 2018)

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