Julie of the Wolves: Part II

by Jean Craighead George
In this classic novel, an Eskimo girl lost in the arctic wilderness must fight for survival while she grapples with her sense of identity. Learn these words from the Newbery Medal winner by Jean Craighead George.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Part I, Part II, Part III

Here are links to our lists for other works by Jean Craighead George: My Side of the Mountain, On the Far Side of the Mountain, Frightful's Mountain
15 words 73 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. taut
    pulled or drawn tight
    Kapugen’s back would grow taut as he lifted his arms and fired his gun.
  2. shaman
    one acting as a medium between the visible and spirit worlds
    A shaman, an old priestess whom everyone called “the bent woman," danced. Her face was streaked with black soot.
  3. sheer
    complete and without restriction
    Once, in sheer bravery, she peeked up under a mask and saw that the dancer was not a spirit at all but Naka, Kapugen’s serious partner.
  4. blubber
    an insulating layer of fat under the skin of some animals
    That night the bent woman seemed all violet-colored as she tied a piece of seal fur and blubber to Miyax's belt.
  5. caribou
    Arctic deer with large antlers in both sexes
    When they were successful, they returned to Nome with sled-loads of caribou.
  6. tundra
    a vast treeless plain where subsoil is permanently frozen
    Walking the tundra with Kapugen was all laughter and fun. He would hail the blue sky and shout out his praise for the grasses and bushes.
  7. prosperous
    in fortunate circumstances financially
    The Eskimo children of the more prosperous families were sent to the mainland for further schooling, something which Aunt Martha could not afford.
  8. lapse
    pass into a specified state or condition
    “What makes us stay up here?” she asked the man.
    “That’s not a good question,” he said, and she lapsed into silence.
  9. mythical
    based on or told of in traditional stories
    The gussaks cheered and opened bottles to toast the mythical line, but hardly had they taken sips than the windows became white and the plane was bumping along through a summer fog.
  10. descent
    a movement downward
    As the plane began its descent into Barrow, Julie could see in the distance the towers of the Distant Early Warning System that marked the presence of the military in Barrow, and a narrow road along the coast that led to a group of buildings.
  11. clammy
    unpleasantly cool and humid
    Daniel grasped her hand. His was as clammy with anxiety as hers.
  12. reluctant
    disinclined to become involved
    “Come on,” she ordered the reluctant child. “It’s time for the blanket toss.”
  13. jukebox
    a cabinet containing an automatic record player
    Julie listened, her head swimming in confusion...Daniel, marriage, parkas, tourists, jukeboxes, pinball machines...divorce.
  14. foyer
    a large entrance or reception room or area
    She also knew the curls in the wrought-iron gate, and how many steps led up to the big front door; she could almost see the black-and-white tile on the floor of the foyer.
  15. vibrant
    vigorous and animated
    “Bright sun, I missed you so,” Julie whispered, and her palms felt vibrant with life.
Created on Mon Aug 21 16:53:17 EDT 2017 (updated Thu Jul 31 19:00:14 EDT 2025)

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