Caterpillar Summer: Parts Three–Four

by Gillian McDunn
Because her mom must travel to teach a summer course, eleven-year-old Catherine Gladwell finds herself in North Carolina, meeting her maternal grandparents for the first time, looking after her seven-year-old brother, and trying to create sweet Gingerbread Island memories.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Part One, Part Two, Parts Three–Four, Part Five
40 words 7 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. prod
    poke or thrust abruptly
    She prodded the orange mound. “Doesn’t look like any cheese I’ve ever seen.”
  2. reckon
    expect, believe, or suppose
    “Think it’s warm enough?” he asked Harriet.
    “I reckon so, it’s practically July.”
  3. solemnly
    in a serious and dignified manner
    “I promise,” said Chicken solemnly.
  4. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    Crabs scuttled in all directions.
  5. adjacent
    near or close to but not necessarily touching
    She pointed at a small building adjacent to the pier.
  6. grizzled
    having gray or partially gray hair
    A grizzled man sat behind the counter.
  7. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    She took a fish from the package and pushed the hook tentatively, but it didn’t go in.
  8. drawl
    speak in a slow and drawn out way
    “Hey, girls,” she drawled, sounding so much like John Harvey that Cat expected to see Harriet’s freckles disappear and her eyelashes turn blond.
  9. cinch
    pull, fasten, or tie something tightly
    He handed her an umbrella. It wasn’t very big. Before she could offer to share, Macon cinched the drawstrings on his hood.
  10. coordinated
    intentionally matched
    Even the spray cleaner was pink. Miss Sunshine’s hair was yellow and her fingernails were pink. It was the most carefully color- coordinated place Cat had seen, and it made her kind of uncomfortable.
  11. trill
    sing or play alternating with the half note above or below
    “You should bring them in,” trilled the lady.
  12. casual
    marked by a lack of concern
    Cat tried to keep her expression casual, like it was normal to have thirty samples of ice cream—no big deal.
  13. falter
    move hesitatingly, as if about to give way
    Miss Sunshine’s smile faltered for a second but then sugared up full strength.
  14. prejudice
    a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
    If Mom were here, they would talk about the way Miss Sunshine became a hundred times friendlier after Macon walked in. It could have been prejudice against what Cat looked like.
  15. ageism
    discrimination against people based on how old they are
    If Mom were here, they would talk about the way Miss Sunshine became a hundred times friendlier after Macon walked in. It could have been prejudice against what Cat looked like. It could have been ageism, since she was young and by herself.
  16. grit
    fortitude and determination
    “Not every kid would keep trying. You’ve got grit—gumption.”
  17. gumption
    fortitude and determination
    “Not every kid would keep trying. You’ve got grit—gumption.”
  18. mullet
    freshwater or coastal food fish with a spindle-shaped body
    Dean and Macon had a long discussion about shrimp, anchovies, and finger mullet.
  19. nook
    a secluded place, corner, or recessed area
    The fish love to hang out near the pier. The pilings create little nooks and crannies the fish love.
  20. genuinely
    in accordance with truth or fact or reality
    “It’s for my fish,” said Cat. “I caught two this morning.”
    “Hooray!” Ms. Willis sounded genuinely happy for her.
  21. bellow
    shout loudly and without restraint
    “Where are you hiding, John Harvey?” bellowed Harriet.
  22. regard
    look at attentively
    Macon regarded her for a minute and then picked up a rag.
  23. assume
    take to be the case or to be true
    When she read the title, she assumed it would be Chicken who would get the best hat, but she was wrong.
  24. stability
    a constant order, especially of society
    “I thought of art as a hobby, not a career,” he said. “I wanted her to have stability, thought she should consider pre-med.”
  25. elope
    run away secretly with one's beloved
    They’d eloped, ran off and gotten married without telling their families.
  26. understatement
    something said in a restrained way for ironic contrast
    “I reacted badly. That’s an understatement. My feelings were hurt, I see that. I tried to lay down the law—like she was a child—because I was afraid to lose her. And in doing that, I really did lose her.”
  27. delicate
    easily broken or damaged or destroyed
    For a while, she wouldn’t even talk to Lily, which just about broke your grandmother’s heart. Slowly, they got back in touch over the phone. The occasional photograph. I never wanted to upset that delicate balance.
  28. ornate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
    She’d spend hours getting the details right, drawing as she read. She loved the ships, too—especially ones with ornate carvings.
  29. elaborate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
    John Harvey led the little kids in an elaborate game of tag. It looked like freeze tag but sometimes kids would hold each other’s hands and run around connected like that.
  30. clobber
    strike violently and repeatedly
    Cat was about to agree when a wave pounded over her head. She lost her grip on the board and dunked under. She pushed to the surface.
    "You got clobbered,” said Mom. “Are you all right?”
  31. crest
    reach a high point
    The wave was cresting, and Cat was in the right place to reach it. With three strong kicks, she caught the wave alongside Mom and they rode all the way to shore.
  32. rigid
    fixed and unmoving
    His entire body was rigid, every muscle clenched, and her brain was on lockdown, too.
  33. spare
    give up what is not strictly needed
    Her brain moved faster than her body as she calculated the speed of the truck, the velocity of her brother, and the precise moment to grab him before he got squashed. With seconds to spare, she leaped and grasped him around the elbow.
  34. cobbler
    a pie made of fruit with rich biscuit dough on top
    “Save room for blueberry cobbler,” said Harriet.
  35. erosion
    condition in which the earth's surface is worn away
    The adults were deep in conversation about erosion on the north part of the island.
  36. jut
    extend out or project in space
    They turned sharply on a narrow street and in the distance a mountain jutted two stories in the air.
  37. oblivious
    lacking conscious awareness of
    Cat stood there, not knowing if she should say something or wait for Sutton to notice them. He was oblivious, even from a foot away.
  38. reluctantly
    with a certain degree of unwillingness
    Finally, Sutton looked up, shoving the phone in his pocket reluctantly.
  39. entrant
    one who participates in a competition
    All fish must be caught on hook and line; one rod per entrant, which must be affixed to the pier or held by the entrant at all times.
  40. affix
    attach to
    All fish must be caught on hook and line; one rod per entrant, which must be affixed to the pier or held by the entrant at all times.
Created on Mon Mar 18 17:02:36 EDT 2024 (updated Tue Mar 19 14:54:18 EDT 2024)

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