Nory Ryan's Song: Chapters 13–24

by Patricia Reilly Giff
Twelve-year-old Nory Ryan's family are poor tenant farmers on Ireland's west coast. When a potato blight sweeps through the village threatening their survival, Nory has to summon the inner strength and ingenuity to keep the family alive.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–12, Chapters 13–24
15 words 23 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. rectory
    housing that a church provides for its clergy
    At the top of a small hill Ballilee spread out before us. The church, the rectory, a row of houses; and in back of the hotel, someone emptied a pail of dirty water.
  2. determined
    characterized by great firmness of purpose
    “Our package, please.” I didn’t dare hold out my hand, but I asked in a determined voice, as if I received a package from Brooklyn, New York, America, every day.
  3. desperate
    showing extreme urgency or intensity because of great need
    But Granda said, “We can’t do this again.” He looked almost desperate.
  4. tallow
    a hard substance used for making soap and candles
    There was no moon tonight and the fields were dark. I could see a tallow light at Mallons’ house, but none in Anna’s window.
  5. founder
    sink below the surface
    The ship might have foundered.
  6. morsel
    a small amount of solid food; a mouthful
    I saved two morsels for Anna.
  7. furrow
    a slight depression in the smoothness of a surface
    The lines and furrows in her face had to do with worry.
  8. sparse
    not dense or plentiful
    Even the grass was sparse because people had pulled up huge clumps to suck on.
  9. brooch
    a decorative pin
    One of them wore a ribboned hat that dipped and bobbed as she spoke. A woman with a brooch and rings sparkling as she moved. Lord Cunningham’s wife!
  10. pelt
    rain heavily
    I hardly felt the rain as it pelted down on me, covering the road and the rock walls on each side.
  11. gouge
    make a groove in
    I had gouged out small pieces of rocks, places to fit my feet. I knew where to hold, where to lean, where to rest.
  12. rein
    direct by or as if by straps used to control a horse
    Devlin! And when he saw me he reined in his horse. “You,” he called. “It’s you I want to see.”
  13. scald
    burn with a hot liquid or steam
    I took a sip of the water. It was hot enough to scald my tongue, but the heat of the cup warmed my hands as I stole a look at the drawing on the box.
  14. trudge
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    I watched him trudge down the road and then went into the house to stare at the tickets with Anna.
  15. clutch
    hold firmly, usually with one's hands
    She clutched my arm so hard I knew it would leave marks. “You will do this for me.”
Created on Fri Dec 12 21:12:20 EST 2025 (updated Tue Jan 27 11:36:10 EST 2026)

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