Rowan of Rin: Chapters 1–2

by Emily Rodda
When the river that supports the village of Rin suddenly runs dry, the villagers' survival is threatened. Rowan, a timid boy, joins a small band of villagers to courageously face their dangerous Mountain and its terrifying Dragon to restore their life-giving water source.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–13
15 words 34 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. idle
    not in action or at work
    The mill wheel lay idle. There was no water to turn its heavy blades.
  2. amiss
    not functioning properly
    He watched her stab the air with her stubby finger, pointing. "So the problem must be up there. Up there, something is amiss."
  3. venture
    proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
    "No!" Neel the potter shook his head. "We cannot climb the Mountain. Even the Travelers do not venture there."
  4. disdainfully
    without respect
    Bronden rolled her eyes disdainfully, but Rowan shivered.
  5. timid
    lacking self-confidence
    The villagers stared curiously at him. What could the boy Rowan, the shy, timid herder of the bukshah, have to say?
  6. heed
    pay close attention to
    "In times gone by some people did climb the Mountain, to look for new fruits to plant in our orchard. But they never returned. After that, the people of Rin heeded the warning and left the Mountain alone."
  7. hardy
    having rugged physical strength
    The children of Rin were a hardy crew, like all of their race.
  8. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    Rowan scuttled away through the crowd.
  9. outskirts
    area relatively far from the center, as of a city or town
    As he reached the outskirts of the village, he thought about what Val had said.
  10. nuzzle
    gently rub or push one's nose or face against something
    They would look at him with their soft brown eyes and nuzzle his hand when he was sad, as if they knew his troubles.
  11. mocking
    expressing contempt or ridicule
    Her mocking laugh rang out.
  12. cackle
    emit a loud, unpleasant kind of laughing
    "And so indeed, I must beg his pardon," she cackled.
  13. placidly
    in a quiet and tranquil manner
    "It's only a scratch," said Sheba placidly.
  14. quest
    the act of searching for something
    Look in the fiery jaws of fear
    And see the answer white and clear.
    Then throw away all thoughts of home.
    For only then your quest is done.
  15. undertone
    a quiet or hushed quality of a voice
    "Put it out of your mind, boy Rowan," said Strong Jonn uneasily "Look ahead—the village lights. You will soon be home with your mother." He exchanged glances with Marlie. "And what she will say to me for bringing him home in this state..." he added in an undertone.
Created on Fri Oct 17 19:47:43 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Dec 23 11:58:06 EST 2025)

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