Legendary Frybread Drive-In: "Language Lesson," by Jen Ferguson

by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In is a magical place where Indigenous teens can find love, support, comfort, and community — no matter where in space or time they come from.

Here are links to our lists for the last nine selections in this collection:
Momentum; I Love You, Grandson; The Rest Will Come; Language Lesson; Hearts Aflutter; Love Buzz; Jilly Bean and Jessa Jean; Kathy's Poem and Open Mic at the Drive-In
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. array
    an impressive display or assortment
    Not more than greetings—taanishi, bonn swayrii, pishkapmisho—and an array of thank-yous.
  2. afghan
    a blanket knitted or crocheted in strips or squares
    Maybe video-chat the impossible boy because he would get that she didn’t want words; she wanted to lie under the granny square afghan the local Elders outfitted all the rooms here with and she wanted to just be in the same quiet, no-words space as him.
  3. cultural
    relating to the shared knowledge and values of a society
    The entire group, twelve teens from across colonial Canada, were headed out on a cultural excursion.
  4. excursion
    a journey taken for pleasure
    The entire group, twelve teens from across colonial Canada, were headed out on a cultural excursion.
  5. exclusively
    without any others being included or involved
    They were supposed to speak Michif exclusively, but since Simon was good at the language, their program instructors let it slide.
  6. enthusiastic
    having or showing great excitement and interest
    A few people were picking through garbage cans, and someone was sleeping on a bench, curled up tight, and there was an enthusiastic game of basketball echoing over from the newly refinished court.
  7. exclamation
    an abrupt excited utterance
    She heard the thump, thump, thump of the ball and then an exclamation when it hit the rim, bounced.
  8. philosophy
    any personal belief about how to live
    Berlin got that philosophy.
  9. formulate
    come up with after a mental effort
    Before Berlin could even try to formulate a response, Marcie left, after waving at someone parking their rough-idling Buick near the picnic tables under the big awning.
  10. deadpan
    speak in a deliberately impassive or serious manner
    “I can’t believe we’re related,” Cam deadpanned.
  11. pretense
    an artful or simulated semblance
    “Your uncle led me here under false pretenses. Besides, the other line’s shorter. Meet me by where the band is going to play. Bring chairs.”
  12. preference
    a predisposition in favor of something
    “You know I don’t have a preference.”
  13. tofu
    a soft, white, cheeselike food made from soybeans
    “So what’s your heart asking for tonight? We’ve got all the meat you could want, and if you’re into tofu, you know what, we’ve got that, too.”
  14. edamame
    green soybeans that are cooked and served in their pods
    Edamame and wild rice in a bowl with tender squash topped with lii pwayr—saskatoon berries—in a thick sauce, almost a gravy?
  15. radical
    far beyond the norm
    “Radical question: Have you talked to Joe about it?”
Created on Tue Feb 24 05:30:25 EST 2026 (updated Tue Mar 24 19:44:10 EDT 2026)

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