How to Steal a Dog: Chapters 1–7

by Barbara O'Connor
Georgina thinks she has the solution to her family's money troubles — stealing a pet dog and then collecting the reward money for its return.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–21
20 words 624 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
    “No offense, Georgina,” she said. “But you’re starting to look kind of unkempt.”
  2. pitiful
    deserving or inciting compassion
    She just stood there and I squeezed my eyes shut and told myself not to look pitiful and, for heaven’s sake, don’t cry.
  3. asphalt
    mixed substance used for paving and roofing
    It was way past dark when I heard Mama’s shoes click-clacking on the asphalt as she made her way toward the car.
  4. peer
    look searchingly
    She peered inside the car at Toby, all curled up in a ball in the backseat.
  5. liable
    likely to be or do something
    The car door creaked when she opened it, sending an echo into the still night air. “We’ve been here two nights now,” she said. “The cops are liable to run us off if we don’t leave.”
  6. glum
    moody and sorrowful
    As we drove out of the parking lot, I slouched down and stared glumly out the window.
  7. churn
    be agitated
    I looked up at Mitsy and my mind started churning.
  8. rummage
    search haphazardly
    I rummaged through my trash bag of stuff.
  9. tuft
    a bunch or cluster of strands, as of grass, hair, etc.
    The first dog I saw came trotting right up the street toward me. He was brown with tufts of fur that stuck together in clumps.
  10. scrawny
    being very thin
    “Hey, boy,” I called to him. He looked up and wagged his scrawny tail.
  11. curlicue
    a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles
    A short-legged dog with a smooshed-in nose and a curlicue tail.
  12. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    When I tried to pet him, he slinked away with his tail between his legs.
  13. scrawl
    write carelessly
    I sat in the car behind the steering wheel and turned the envelope over and over. I read the messy handwriting scrawled across the front.
  14. scamper
    run or move about quickly or lightly
    Suddenly a squirrel came scampering around the corner of the house and scrambled up the hickory nut tree.
  15. tote
    a capacious bag or basket
    I watched Luanne and Liza Thomas walking to the bus after school, their matching blond ponytails swinging from side to side. They carried their ballet slippers in their Darby Dance School tote bags.
  16. ramshackle
    in poor or broken-down condition
    A ramshackle old house with boarded-up windows and the front door hanging all cockeyed on its rusty hinges.
  17. kudzu
    a type of fast-growing vine
    Prickly-looking bushes grew thick and dense across the front, while kudzu vines snaked their way up the chimney and across the roof.
  18. plumb
    completely
    First I had to go and get a daddy who acted mean all the time and then just up and left us. Now I had a mama who had gone plumb crazy.
  19. linoleum
    a floor covering made from linseed oil, cork, and resin
    The cracked linoleum floor was sticky and made squeaky noises as we walked across it.
  20. mildew
    become moldy or spoil due to humidity
    That night, I lay on the floor on top of piled-up clothes, covered with my beach towel, and stared at the mildewed ceiling.
Created on Wed Oct 27 19:53:58 EDT 2021 (updated Mon Nov 01 11:13:39 EDT 2021)

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