Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher: Chapters 5-7

by Bruce Coville
Sixth grader Jeremy Thatcher learns how to hatch a dragon's egg. Now he has to learn how to take care of a growing dragon until it must return to its own world.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters One–Two, Chapters Three–Four, Chapters Five–Seven, Chapters Eight–Ten, Chapter Eleven–Epilogue
15 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. crescendo
    a gradual increase in loudness
    Ignoring the crescendo of his stomach symphony, Jeremy opened it.
  2. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    The question didn't come in the form of a word, of course. It came in that now familiar sense of question-ness. Behind it were more questions, expressed half in feelings, half in fleeting images.
  3. cower
    crouch or curl up
    One terrified gerbil clung to the exercise wheel, shaking with fear. The other cowered in a corner, trying to hide under the sawdust.
  4. sate
    fill to contentment
    When the dragon had finally sated its hunger, it sat on Jeremy's desk, preening its scales with its beaky nose.
  5. preen
    clean with one's bill
    When the dragon had finally sated its hunger, it sat on Jeremy's desk, preening its scales with its beaky nose.
  6. rampage
    act violently, recklessly, or destructively
    Though dragons are best known for rampaging through the countryside, eating sheep and shepherd alike, many of them are reputed to have a deep fondness for milk.
  7. primal
    having existed from the beginning
    Whence this fondness for milk? No one is quite certain. Some think it may stem from the fact that dragon mothers cannot nurse their young, which leaves the little beasts with a lifelong craving for milk. Others think it has to do with the primal fluid of the universe.
  8. maraud
    raid and rove in search of plunder
    In any event, while the method is hardly foolproof, it is certainly worth trying if you should ever be faced with a marauding dragon.
    "Or dragonlet," added Jeremy, as he closed the book.
  9. mythology
    the body of stories associated with a culture or institution
    Jeremy hesitated. Maybe "it" was the wrong word. After all, according to Babylonian mythology, the original Tiamat was the mother dragon who had created the world.
  10. mystification
    confusion resulting from failure to understand
    "Come with me," he said to Spess, who had watched in mystification while Jeremy peered into his sock drawer, "I want you to help me find something."
  11. repressive
    restricting action, freedom, or expression
    Jeremy finished his egg and trudged out of the room. He didn't care about repressive institutions and he certainly didn't plan to be underfoot.
  12. gruff
    blunt and unfriendly or stern
    He jumped when the gruff voice said, "Perhaps you did not understand me, Mr. Thatcher. We are drawing still lifes today. In particular, that still life."
  13. sarcasm
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn
    "That is not a still life," said Mr. Kravitz, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "In fact, it is not based on any kind of life at all. I did not ask you to use your imagination today. I asked you to use your eyes — to draw what you see."
  14. uproar
    a state of commotion and noise and confusion
    To his surprise, everything was quiet. He had expected chaos, an ongoing uproar. But the house was silent. Even the bounding enthusiasm of Grief was missing.
  15. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    An indignant squawk drew his attention to Tiamat. She was perched on top of the bookshelf, glaring down at him angrily.
Created on Thu Sep 11 22:00:45 EDT 2025 (updated Sun Nov 09 12:42:05 EST 2025)

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