Kareem Between: First Quarter

by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
In this novel in verse, Syrian American Kareem struggles to fit in and make his middle school football team during a time of difficulty for his family.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Preseason, Game Time, First Quarter, Second Quarter, Third Quarter, Fourth Quarter–Overtime

25 words 12 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. satisfied
    filled with contentment
    Sunday,
    on Instagram
    I see that he’s at the
    school gym,
    his unruined football
    pictured
    in his selfie,
    his satisfied smile
    showing his confidence.
  2. cringe
    draw back, as with fear, pain, or embarrassment
    I cringe at
    my clunky
    Arabic.
  3. pang
    a sudden sharp feeling
    I feel a pang in my heart.
  4. stifle
    smother or suppress
    I stifle my unease,
    move
    and let my
    friend(?)
    copy my answers
    copy my answers.
  5. evade
    avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
    I’m ready to dodge,
    twist,
    and turn,
    evade any
    of her questions
    faster than Walter Payton
    making linebackers
    dizzy with his sweet feet,
    but all Fadi says is,
    Mashee alhal.
  6. scrunch
    wrinkle, crease, or crumple a smooth surface
    Something about the way
    he scrunches
    his forehead while reading
    reminds me of Adam,
    but I can tell he’s struggling
    with the English words
    when he presses his finger
    hard against the page
    and his mouth opens,
    whispering out letters.
  7. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    We’re eating
    kusa mihshy for dinner,
    the comforting tomato soup smell
    wafting around the kitchen,
    when my mom
    drops
    shocking
    news,
    freezing me in place
    despite the steaming meal
    in front of me.
  8. screech
    sharp piercing cry
    Jameelah’s voice
    screeches.
  9. flee
    run away quickly
    Sisters,
    my three khales,
    and her brother, my khalo,
    but they all
    fled
    to Germany when the war started,
    so she doesn’t pack
    anything
    for them.
  10. embrace
    the act of clasping another person in the arms
    Her arms
    squeeze me tight,
    and when she’s
    gone,
    my heart
    feels cold
    without her warm embrace.
  11. blast
    a sudden, loud sound
    As in, no matter the weather or season,
    Jameelah’s going to keep
    blasting my name,
    disturbing my victory,
    until I just give in
    and
    listen.
  12. wail
    a cry of sorrow and grief
    I WANT PLAY-DOH,
    he wails.
  13. dispel
    cause to separate and go in different directions
    When Jameelah
    goes upstairs,
    I smile at Sameer,
    trying to dispel the clouds
    that have gathered
    over him
    with Mama away.
  14. gobble
    eat hastily without proper chewing
    After showering,
    skin scrubbed raw,
    I make it downstairs for breakfast,
    manage to gobble up cereal
    in time
    before grabbing the lunch
    Baba prepared.
  15. hustle
    move or cause to move energetically or busily
    Baba’s
    hustling us to the car,
    fielding calls from the hospital,
    weaving through traffic,
    picking up Fadi,
    worrying out loud
    about being late
    instead of reciting the
    morning duaas with us
    like Mama does.
  16. jeer
    a mocking or contemptuous remark
    He’s with the team,
    crowded around trays of food,
    their jokes and jeers
    the rowdiest in the room.
  17. unfurl
    unroll, unfold, or spread out
    I feel frozen
    to the floor,
    watching my worst
    nightmare
    unfurling in front of me.
  18. pungent
    strong and sharp to the sense of taste or smell
    Austin’s friends’ cackles
    float to Fadi,
    as pungent as the
    cafeteria burger smell
    filling the air.
  19. tender
    given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
    Even though it’s Wednesday night,
    after talking to Mama,
    I also get a
    chance
    to talk to Jido,
    who’s getting better
    with Baba’s medicine
    and Mama’s tender care.
  20. emphasize
    stress or single out as important
    I make sure to emphasize
    the ghaa
    in the Arabic word
    so he can hear how angry I am.
  21. flourish
    move or swing back and forth
    My teacher’s arm
    flourishes
    as if this is going to be great fun.
  22. fiasco
    a complete failure or collapse
    Yesterday’s lunch
    fiasco plays like a
    film in my head.
  23. blurt
    utter impulsively
    I feel
    like my team got
    a penalty,
    my stomach churning,
    so I blurt out
    the only thing
    I think
    could help.
  24. congruent
    corresponding in character or kind
    Beautifully painted,
    flawlessly scaled,
    green paint glowing,
    red stars twinkling,
    the congruent shape
    showing
    equal angles,
    parallel straight sides
    facing each other.
  25. lanky
    tall and thin and having long slender limbs
    Your arm is strong
    and you’re built like one,
    tall and lanky.
Created on Tue Mar 11 07:52:33 EDT 2025 (updated Wed Mar 12 08:41:03 EDT 2025)

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