Ellen Outside the Lines: Chapters 1–10

by A.J. Sass
While visiting Barcelona for two weeks with her Spanish class, thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz must learn to accept that her life can often be unpredictably out of her control.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–20, Chapters 21–33
35 words 63 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. rickety
    inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
    Upstairs, it's just me and my tense shoulders, a silent phone, and the whoosh-rattle of the rickety ceiling fan.
  2. churn
    be agitated
    Stomach churning, I hang up.
  3. cobbler
    a pie made of fruit with rich biscuit dough on top
    She and Dahlia got in a little before lunch. It was perfect timing, really, since I'd just finished making a fresh peach cobbler and...
  4. oblivious
    lacking conscious awareness of
    "All my girls have been such little social butterflies," Mrs. McKinley continues, totally oblivious.
  5. thrum
    make or cause to make a low, continuous sound
    I thrum my fingers against my leg, focusing on Mom's song downstairs.
  6. stubble
    short hairs growing on a man's face when he has not shaved
    The corners of Abba's mouth lift and the stubble on his cheeks rise with it.
  7. airy
    characterized by lightness and insubstantiality
    His voice is a mix between Mrs. McKinley's warm Southern accent and Mom's New York-brisk that never quite went away after we moved to Georgia. Israeli airy: That's what Mom calls it.
  8. intervention
    care provided to improve a situation
    I was shopping with Dahlia all morning, then SA needed a packing intervention and I totally spaced
  9. hunch
    round one's back by bending forward
    I hunch my shoulders and lean forward in my seat.
  10. syllabus
    a summary or outline of what will be covered in an academic course
    The syllabus from last year was on the school website. It's lectures in the morning, then a siesta and afternoon field trips before dinner. I didn't see times listed for homework.
  11. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
    The brown thrasher: It's not exactly regal like a lion, tiger, or eagle, but it's the Georgia state bird and can sing up to 3,000 unique song phrases.
  12. itinerary
    a proposed route of travel
    Even though it was only a week ago, my head is filled with a flight departure time and gate number, lots of new Spanish words, and our trip's itinerary.
  13. orientation
    a course introducing a new situation or environment
    The parent chaperones attended an orientation, so we're equipped to assist every student, no matter what.
  14. tuft
    a bunch or cluster of strands, as of grass, hair, etc.
    My eyes linger on a tuft of dyed purple hair framing the kid's face only to dart away when Señor L says my name.
  15. complexion
    texture and appearance of the skin of the face
    Laurel's told me a few times how much she adores Sophie-Anne's complexion. Smooth skin, no pimples in sight, or freckles that dot her face like they do mine.
  16. agenda
    an organized plan for matters to be attended to
    I looked up pictures online, printed them out, and spent hours arranging them in my dot diary's margins to match each day's agenda.
  17. matte
    not reflecting light; not glossy
    I look at the matte black noise-canceling headphones, eyes widening.
  18. kosher
    conforming to the dietary laws of Judaism
    My family keeps kosher, following kashrut rules about what food we can and can't eat and how it should be prepared.
  19. spectrum
    a broad range of related objects, values, or qualities
    Rainbow flag stickers in a spectrum of bright stripes decorate the cover, souvenirs he brought back from a comic convention.
  20. vintage
    old but having enduring appeal or importance; classic
    "It's like a vintage cutout," Laurel says. "Except, what's it supposed to advertise?"
  21. foyer
    a large entrance or reception room or area
    Then Abba, Laurel, and I enter a foyer, where the rest of our group waits.
  22. correspondence
    communication by the exchange of letters
    "Everyone should already know who you'll be rooming with from earlier school correspondence."
  23. decal
    a design that can be transferred from paper to some surface
    Our room has white walls with flowery lavender decals over twin beds, plus a clock, side tables, and matching floor-to-ceiling closets.
  24. repertoire
    the range of skills in a particular field or occupation
    “What's with the 'howdy'?"
    “I figured while you and your father were gone, I'd add some Southern phrases to my repertoire. Did you know 'Well, that just dills my pickle' is a way to say you're mad? Or it might mean you're happy."
  25. panoramic
    as from an altitude or distance
    I turn my phone around and give Mom a panoramic view.
  26. tertiary
    coming third in position
    There are lists for foods (kosher dairy; kosher meat; pareve; trayf), colors (primary; secondary; tertiary), things that are contagious (grins; yawns), and so on.
  27. crescendo
    a gradual increase in loudness
    Kids chatter around me. Noise builds like a crescendo in one of Mom's songs.
  28. overwhelm
    overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
    I try to think of something else, like Dr. Talia's tips to combat overwhelm.
  29. pronoun
    a function word that is used in place of a noun
    "My pronouns are they, them, and their," Isa continues.
  30. flush
    turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame
    My gaze shifts from Isa to Gibs just in time to see the tips of his ears flush pink.
  31. criterion
    a basis for comparison
    I switch to regular Google, adding Barcelona to my search criteria.
  32. sensory
    involving or derived from the senses
    It's not a secret, but my throat gets tight just thinking about explaining sensory overwhelm in the middle of a busy subway station.
  33. tinny
    thin, metallic, and displeasing in sound
    A minute later, a woman's tinny voice crackles over a speaker.
  34. spire
    a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building
    The church is both tall and wide, with four spires rising to dizzying heights.
  35. amble
    walk leisurely
    I look at Abba as we split off, wondering who he'll follow. But he ambles toward the next row of pews, taking pictures with his phone.
Created on Wed May 31 12:11:16 EDT 2023 (updated Wed May 31 16:49:48 EDT 2023)

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