Fish in a Tree: Chapters 17-27

by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
In this novel, a dedicated teacher and new friendships help Ally understand and come to terms with her dyslexia — and to realize that there's no shame in being different.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-9, Chapters 10-16, Chapters 17-27, Chapters 28-38, Chapters 39-51
15 words 940 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. adhere
    be compatible or in accordance with
    “And what’s wrong with the doll, anyway? Why is it a misfit? It seems to adhere to the standards of a typical doll.”
  2. immortal
    not subject to death
    “Flint is an immortal genius from Star Trek. Season three, episode nineteen. It is titled ‘Requiem for—’”
    Keisha laughs, interrupting him.
  3. psychologist
    a specialist in the science of mental life
    “He inquired about my bruises. I think he hypothesized that they came from my parents. Then I had to speak to the school psychologist.”
  4. overwhelming
    so strong as to be irresistible
    “Yes, I call them the fire ants. A group of small beings that can become overwhelming.”
  5. lethal
    of an instrument of certain death
    “Some of the most lethal creatures on earth are invertebrates.”
  6. invertebrate
    any animal lacking a backbone or notochord
    “Some of the most lethal creatures on earth are invertebrates.”
  7. seizure
    a sudden attack characterized by spasms or convulsions
    “Oh, well...chills, fever, cramps. Seizures. Toes, fingers, nose, and lips turn black because the cells die. And you’d likely spit blood.”
  8. adaptation
    the process of adjusting or conforming to new conditions
    These are adaptations to scare other animals into thinking they are eyes, so other animals will think they are bigger and more dangerous and leave them alone.
  9. ruthless
    without mercy or pity
    The second lady stares at me like I’m a ruthless butterfly hunter.
  10. residue
    matter that remains after something has been removed
    “No, it is a myth that you render a butterfly unable to fly by touching its wings. The powdery residue on their wings is actually scales. They shed these scales on a regular basis, so merely touching them is okay. You only injure the butterfly if its wings are torn.”
  11. comeback
    a quick reply to a question or remark
    I come up with great comebacks to her the next morning, hunched over a bowl of cereal.
  12. uncouth
    lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
    “Yes. Yes, it is.” Her voice is singsongy and makes me wish she’d go eat paste.
    “You two are just so uncouth.”
  13. fictional
    related to or involving imaginative literary work
    Mr. Daniels asks us to write about our favorite fictional character—a person we consider to be a hero—and be ready to tell the class about who it is.
  14. piranha
    small carnivorous fish of South America
    Until he says, “If. I. Were. Aquaman. I. Would. Summon. The piranhas. To take you away. You could be their queen.”
  15. protractor
    drafting instrument used to draw or measure angles
    I used Travis’s protractor to draw the lines exactly.
Created on Thu Jan 11 19:45:52 EST 2018 (updated Wed Jul 30 12:59:42 EDT 2025)

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