A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation: List 4

by Pablo Cartaya
Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García finds himself on a cross-country roadtrip with his estranged grandfather, an internationally acclaimed author of a children's fantasy series. Over the course of the 10-day trip, Gonzolo learns the truth behind his grandfather's famous tales and gains a better understanding of himself and his family.

This list covers vocabulary from "In His Own Words (4)"—"Eating Ribs For Breakfast."

Here are links to our lists for the book: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5
15 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. incessantly
    without interruption
    The waves kept rising and falling, the rain pelting us incessantly.
  2. fatigues
    military uniform worn by personnel when doing menial labor
    When I finally got pulled up, I was met with the familiar green fatigues I’d come to see everywhere in my neighborhood.
  3. insurmountable
    impossible to overcome
    This is the biggest test yet for our buddy Gonzalo. It will bring him to the darkest point so far. He will use all he’s learned to push through a seemingly insurmountable mental barrier.
  4. cohort
    a company of companions or supporters
    Whether either comes out the other side stronger than before will depend entirely on them and the newest member of their cohort.
  5. impetuous
    characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
    “Do you realize the fires I’ve had to put out because of this impetuous decision?”
  6. coincide
    go with; fall together
    “I mapped out a route for us with stops that coincide with my meeting times.”
  7. mercenary
    a person hired to fight for another country than their own
    I read through The Chronicles of Gonzalo Sanz: The Hurricane Child instead and learn that Gonzalo has been captured by a group of mercenaries who have control of the island.
  8. vagueness
    the quality of being unclear or poorly expressed
    Gonzalo isn’t sure who to believe and, honestly, neither am I.
    I try to read faster to see if the answer is clear by the end of the book, but once I turn the last page and it ends on another cliff-hanger, I complain about the vagueness of it all.
  9. secluded
    hidden from general view or use
    I was put in a secluded camp for orphans, where I trained to become a soldier.
  10. reptilian
    of or relating to cold-blooded vertebrates with scaly skin
    “But there aren’t reptilian creatures guarding the entrance to some underwater tunnel system and a whole civilization of mythological beings living in there,” I tell him, to which he responds in his usual dry way, “And how do you know what’s at the bottom of a blue hole? Have you ever gone scuba diving into one?”
  11. plausible
    apparently reasonable, valid, or truthful
    “So you researched blue holes, came up with the idea of these reptilian creatures because of the crocodile fossils, and made it seem plausible enough because we can’t totally prove it one way or the other.”
  12. antagonism
    a state of deep-seated ill-will
    My mom sighs again and continues. “Why would a book that celebrates overcoming great obstacles, managing grief, and maintaining hope become fuel for antagonism? I just don’t understand.”
  13. patron
    a regular customer
    “Eeeeeee!” she shrieks, quickly covering her mouth when library patrons look in our direction.
  14. tentatively
    in a hesitant manner
    My mom and I stare at each other and tentatively take our bites. My taste buds instantly explode with flavor.
  15. unrelenting
    never-ceasing
    I like Gonzalo the hero and his adventures, but as I finish Book Four and read about him vanquishing yet another villain, I’m not sure I connect with his unrelenting sense of hope.
Created on Fri Mar 27 18:14:01 EDT 2026 (updated Wed Jun 03 19:29:11 EDT 2026)

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