Turtle in Paradise: Chapters 1–3

by Jennifer L. Holm
During the Great Depression, an eleven-year-old girl tackles challenges and finds adventure when she moves in with relatives in Key West, Florida.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–13, Chapters 14–18
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. go to the dogs
    become ruined
    “There oughta be a law. No wonder this country’s going to the dogs,” Mr. Edgit grumbles.
  2. depression
    a long-term economic state with unemployment and low prices
    He says he doesn’t think President Roosevelt will get us out of this Depression and that if you give someone money for not working why would they ever bother to get a job?
  3. pomade
    hairdressing consisting of a perfumed oil or ointment
    He had dark brown eyes and thick black hair brushed back with lemon pomade.
  4. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
    "Turtle, huh?” he mused, stroking his chin. “I can see why. Got a little a snap to you, don’t ya?”
  5. chortle
    laugh quietly or with restraint
    “That’s good! Sandy says arf,” Mr. Edgit chortles. "Does your cat say meow?”
  6. mange
    a skin disease causing inflammation, itching, and hair loss
    "What happened to your cat, anyhow?” he asks with a sidelong glance at Smokey. “She got the mange?”
  7. abide
    put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    "You didn’t say anything about a child. Children are noisy. I can’t abide noise,” Mrs. Budnick said, tapping her foot.
  8. prohibition
    when the sale of alcoholic beverages was banned in the U.S.
    “We didn’t go in for Prohibition like the rest of the country. ”
  9. grouse
    complain
    “This is ridiculous,” Mr. Edgit grouses. “I don’t owe Archie a penny more after this trip.”
  10. stingy
    unwilling to spend
    "See Chicago? Folks are smart there. And they like to look good, too. Sold a crate of hair pomade in one day,” he’ll say, or "That little town in North Dakota? Stingiest place I’ve ever been. Folks there wouldn’t buy a button if their pants were falling down.”
  11. furtively
    in a secretive manner
    A barefoot boy with big ears is looking furtively down the alley.
  12. grimy
    thickly covered with ingrained dirt
    “What are you selling, mister?” the boy asks, flexing grimy bare feet.
  13. soot
    black powder formed when fuel such as wood or coal is burned
    My eyes are gray as soot, and I see things for what they are.
  14. tonic
    a medicine that strengthens and invigorates
    "Say, Mr. Idjit,” Beans says loudly, "you been using that hair tonic on your arms, ’cause it’s sure coming in thick there!”
  15. wicker
    flexible branches or twigs that can be woven together
    Daddy Warbucks probably has a nice big plump sofa for her to sit on, and a Persian rug for her to sink her toes into. Not a wicker couch that’s got a broken leg propped up with a bunch of rags and a worn braided wool rug that looks like something bad got spilled on it.
  16. harried
    troubled persistently, especially with petty annoyances
    She glances at me, a harried look on her face. “The boys will have to share, I suppose. You can stay in Beans’s room. Upstairs and to the left.”
  17. tuft
    a bunch or cluster of strands, as of grass, hair, etc.
    A little boy with a tuft of bright blond hair is standing there.
  18. tirade
    a speech of violent denunciation
    He stops his tirade when he sees me.
  19. interject
    speak abruptly, especially as an interruption
    “I’m Buddy!” the little boy interjects. “You want to play marbles with me?”
  20. exasperated
    greatly annoyed; out of patience
    “For Pete’s sake, Buddy, go put on some pants,” Aunt Minnie says in an exasperated voice. “What is the matter with you, child?”
  21. forlorn
    marked by or showing hopelessness
    Smokey darts to safety under the house, and Termite waddles over to the lane looking forlorn.
  22. beaming
    pleased and proud
    Kermit is positively beaming at his good fortune.
  23. rheumatic
    of or pertaining to arthritis
    “I had rheumatic fever, and now I’ve got a weak heart,” Kermit says.
  24. drawl
    speak in a slow and drawn out way
    “Well, if it ain’t the Diaper Gang,” the man drawls.
  25. unison
    the act of occurring together or simultaneously
    All three boys answer in unison: “Every last one.”
Created on Thu Sep 09 20:03:31 EDT 2021 (updated Mon Sep 20 13:27:01 EDT 2021)

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