How I Became a Ghost: Chapters 1–19

by Tim Tingle
This novel is narrated by a ten-year-old boy who did not survive the Trail of Tears, the forced resettlement of Native Americans during the 19th century.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–19, Chapters 20–29
25 words 585 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. treaty
    a written agreement between two states or sovereigns
    “There is Treaty Talk in town. We must move.”
    I was only ten, but I knew what Treaty Talk meant. It meant the Nahullos wanted something.
  2. pier
    a platform built out from the shore into the water
    I knew this pier. It was a long wooden pier with shallow water all around it. I fished from this pier, but very carefully, for the bottom of the river was covered with sharp stones.
  3. stub
    strike accidentally against an object
    The water was blood red, but the women showed no pain. They didn’t squeeze their faces tight, like people do when they step on a sharp stone or stub their toe against a rock.
  4. smother
    deprive of the oxygen necessary for combustion
    I grabbed my blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders, smothering the flames.
  5. missionary
    someone sent to a foreign country to spread a religion
    While we watched, they rode to the church. They leapt from their horses and threw the torches high, aiming for the house where the missionaries lived.
  6. huddle
    crowd or draw together
    We knelt and huddled close together.
  7. muffled
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    Her tiny voice was so soft and muffled by the thick blanket.
  8. clearing
    a treeless tract of land in the middle of a wooded area
    We found a small clearing in a clump of trees and started building our evening fire.
  9. mound
    a small natural mound
    Mounds of snow covered the road.
  10. hoarse
    deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness
    My voice was hoarse from shouting.
  11. stumble
    miss a step and fall or nearly fall
    I stumbled and fell and my father ran to meet me.
  12. endure
    face and withstand with courage
    The cold was easier to endure with Nita close by.
  13. determined
    characterized by great firmness of purpose
    She is a determined little girl.
  14. dagger
    a short knife with a pointed blade
    I bump into a tree and icicles fall all around me. I slip and fall. Then one long dagger icicle waits for its turn to fall.
  15. bitter
    causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation
    By nightfall the snow stopped, but the air turned bitter and cold.
  16. council
    a body serving in an administrative capacity
    Go to the Choctaw Council wagon. Tell them your father sent you to help them.
  17. relieve
    free someone temporarily from his or her obligations
    “Is there a guard?” Nani Humma asked.
    “Yes,” Joseph said, “but he fell asleep sometime around midnight. The soldier that relieved him saw that he was sleeping. He kicked him awake and they laughed about it. They are not worried about us.”
  18. mourning
    state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
    My mother started crying, a soft muffled cry that turned the blue and sunny day into one of quiet mourning.
  19. grieve
    feel intense sorrow, especially due to a loss
    The passing walkers heard my family’s sobs. They slowed down, bowed their heads, and said not a word, out of respect for the grieving family.
  20. burden
    weight to be carried or borne
    For the first time I realized what a burden I would be for my family. They would never leave my body behind, for animals to fight over my bones.
  21. amble
    walk leisurely
    At nightfall, while the others finished their meal, Nani Humma ambled to the river.
  22. thicket
    a dense growth of bushes
    We left the riverbank and entered a thicket of oak trees.
  23. stingy
    deficient in amount or quality or extent
    “Hey, don’t be so stingy,” shouted a skinny soldier with a long pointy nose. “Gimme more stew! And where’s the bread?”
  24. blister
    develop elevations of the skin filled with fluid
    Naomi tripped and splashed stew on my face. I jumped, out of habit. But I didn’t feel anything, no blistery, burning skin.
  25. ember
    a hot, smoldering fragment of wood left from a fire
    The logs burned low and embers sparkled in the dark night air.
Created on Thu Oct 22 15:18:37 EDT 2020 (updated Fri Oct 23 15:23:25 EDT 2020)

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