"The Pecan Sheller" by Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Chapters 1–3

Sandy (United States of America)
Thirteen-year-old Petra wanted to finish school and become a writer, but her family's financial woes in late 1930s San Antonio, Texas forced her to drop out and succumb to demoralizing factory work at below poverty-level wages. Her future seemed bleak until she and her coworkers organized and went on strike for better wages and work conditions.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–8, Chapters 9–13, Chapters 14–18, Chapters 19–30
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    An uneasy feeling chased Petra as she hurried home from school. Ominous clouds loomed overhead.
  2. barrio
    a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city
    Heavy gusts of wind whipped her long black hair against her face as she maneuvered through the barrio’s unpaved streets, which turned into a muddy mess every time it rained.
  3. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
    The smell of kerosene from the oil lamp permeated the kitchen. The flames flickered wildly inside the lamp’s glass, as if partnering with the storm raging outside.
  4. yearning
    prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
    Only three when her real mother had died of pneumonia, Petra still remembered her scent. Gardenias. Whenever she caught a whiff of gardenias, she felt a yearning for something lost.
  5. exasperated
    greatly annoyed; out of patience
    “Petra,” Amá sighed, exasperated, “you can’t earn enough that way. This house is all we have left from your father. If we lose it, we will have nowhere else to go. He had no family here, and my sisters are all the way in Michigan. Even if we could travel there, they can’t afford to take us in. We would be out on the street. Is that what you want?”
  6. linoleum
    a floor covering made from linseed oil, cork, and resin
    Staring at one of the missing patches in the worn linoleum floor, she asked, “How long would you need me to stay out of school?”
  7. swaddle
    wrap very tightly in cloth, as a baby
    Amá had stayed in bed for days, swaddled in Papá’s huge flannel robe, hardly eating, not combing her hair, not speaking to anyone.
  8. brooch
    a decorative pin
    The class still groaned when told they had to do a book report. The sunlight still streamed through the window, playing with the sparkling rhinestones on Mrs. Evans’ brooch. Eddie still told his annoying jokes while Anita made eyes at Julio across the room.
  9. grueling
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
    Every August, they left town to pick cotton all across Texas—work as grueling as pecan shelling.
  10. muslin
    plain-woven cotton fabric
    When they returned each November, Carmela always complained about the cuts on her fingers from the sharp tips of the cotton plants and about the heavy muslin sack she’d had to drag through the rows of cotton.
  11. marquee
    a structure, often with a signboard, over an entrance
    She looked back at the classroom window that had given her a view of the street; through that window, she’d often stared at a nearby giant pecan tree’s rustling leaves. Bright pink bougainvillea blossomed along the side of the building, and the giant marquee in front showed information about an upcoming teacher’s meeting.
  12. insolence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
    “It’s not my fault you’re running late,” Petra muttered under her breath now. She didn’t care if her stepmother overheard her insolence or saw the anger in her eyes.
  13. allotment
    distribution according to a plan
    Hunched over their allotments of pecans, they dug out the nutmeat and dropped the pieces into coffee cans or cooking oil cans.
  14. spunk
    the courage or spirit to carry on
    You have a good head for learning, mija, Papá had often told Petra, a gleam in his eye. And a lot of spunk too. You can do anything you want to. You can walk across that high school stage one day. Promise me you will.
  15. rosary
    a series of prayers counted using a string of beads
    Neighbors and friends crowded into the Navarros’ house for the wake. The older women covered their heads with long black veils and counted rosary beads between their fingers. The men removed their hats.
Created on Mon Mar 16 21:32:36 EDT 2026 (updated Sun Mar 22 13:57:00 EDT 2026)

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