Drew Leclair Gets a Clue: Chapters 5–8

by Katryn Bury
In this first book of the series, a twelve-year-old girl, named after the fictional detective Nancy Drew, compiles profiles of possible suspects in a case of cyberbullying targeting seventh graders at Oakland's Ella Baker Middle School.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–14, Chapters 15–21, Chapters 22–26
40 words 13 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. obsess
    be preoccupied with something
    Since the rest of my Monday was dedicated to obsessing over the deleted voicemail, worrying about Dad, and avoiding looking at the Ella Baker Shade post, I barely slept.
  2. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    “These are the texts I’ve sent you since yesterday!” he seethes.
  3. understatement
    something said in a restrained way for ironic contrast
    “I know I haven’t told you a lot.”
    “Um, understatement! And I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about your mom!”
  4. flush
    turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame
    Right away, I feel my face flush crimson—the curse of my translucent skin tone.
  5. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    Every muscle in my body suddenly vibrates with indignant energy.
  6. gritty
    determined and willing to face danger
    The idea of Ms. Tuitasi as a gritty cyberinvestigator almost distracts me, until a loud hiss from Emma rings out:
    "Keep tagging Drew in the new pic!"
  7. decency
    the quality of being polite and respectable
    Brie has the decency to hide behind her glossy black hair to giggle, but the damage is still done.
  8. crestfallen
    brought low in spirit
    I’m not sure if it’s their laughter or the crestfallen look on my face, but Ms. Tuitasi steps forward, facing the class with her eyes ablaze.
  9. forefront
    the position of greatest importance or advancement
    My eyes flit over the chapter headings until I see the one that reads “Putting Science First.” It doesn’t answer my questions about Mom, but it does make me feel immediately calmer to imagine pushing science to the forefront—ahead of my feelings.
  10. perpetrator
    someone who commits wrongdoing
    Then a profiler can truly analyze all the facts and track down the perpetrator.
  11. assess
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
    She would assess the situation, remove the obstacle, and protect all potential victims.
  12. alias
    a name that has been assumed temporarily
    OFFENDER PROFILE
    NAME: Unknown
    AGE: likely 12–13
    KNOWN ALIASES: Ella Baker Shade
  13. moderator
    someone who presides over a debate or meeting
    WEAPONS USED: Social media, hacking skills (unless the troll is a Badgers moderator), video editing, and maybe design skills for the Ella Baker Shade calling card.
  14. reflexive
    without volition or conscious control
    My jaw, which had been locked reflexively, softens.
  15. respectively
    in the order given
    Can we just be Drew and Shrey, best friends and also waterbender and airbender, respectively?
  16. concoct
    devise or invent
    “Oh, man. I know that look. It’s the scheme- concocting look. What is it?”
  17. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    Gingerly, I open my notebook and hand it to him, pointing to where I wrote the bare-bones Ella Baker Shade profile.
  18. incriminating
    charging or suggestive of guilt or blame
    “I recently made a pie chart on Ella Baker suspension rates by race,” I say with a nod. “The uneven percentages are super incriminating.”
  19. seasoned
    rendered competent through trial and experience
    And, I mean, it’s a crime board. How could I not? The whole concept brings to mind a seasoned investigator pinning up pictures, marked-up maps, and recorded leads until they finally nail the perpetrator.
  20. counterpoint
    an element, idea, or argument used to create a contrast
    COUNTERPOINT: Alicia likes to look her victims in the eye when she targets them so she can see them get upset. Would anonymous bullying be her style?
  21. pneumonia
    a serious illness of the lungs that makes it difficult to breathe
    I squeeze my eyes shut, momentarily thrust back to third grade, when my asthma had worsened to the point where I had to go to the hospital for pneumonia three times in one year.
  22. snide
    expressive of contempt
    “Can I help you? Is that how we’re communicating now? Do I need to find a parenting book on how to deal with my newly snide tween?”
  23. mayhem
    violent and needless disturbance
    Then, seeing his face, I add in a softer voice, “Are we doing our Murder and Mayhem night?”
  24. deem
    judge or regard in a particular way
    Ever since Dad gave up on shielding me from watching what Mom deemed “inappropriate media,” we’ve been having Murder and Mayhem nights. It includes everything from true crime documentaries to procedurals to horror films.
  25. nostalgia
    a longing for something past
    Sometimes we even sneak in Halloween episodes from The Simpsons if Dad’s nostalgia kicks in.
  26. ramekin
    a small dish used for baking and serving individual portions
    While Dad busies himself mixing the panzanella and filling ramekins with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, I collapse onto the couch.
  27. gorge
    overeat or eat immodestly
    Now every frame is a selfie that Dad and I took the night before, gorging on bread and posing in front of the Trail of Blood logo on the TV.
  28. bout
    a period of illness
    Since Dad was the one staying home with me during the asthma bouts, he often worked from home while showing me his favorite shows.
  29. downcast
    filled with melancholy and despondency
    Although the whole Squeaker thing doesn’t seem that bad, I notice Connor looking downcast between classes.
  30. guffaw
    a burst of loud and hearty laughter
    He lets out a loud guffaw and gestures broadly, smacking a passing student I realize is Ethan (a.k.a. victim #1).
  31. dense
    slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
    Predictably, Johnny is too dense to process my words until I’ve already moved past him and ducked into the library.
  32. devious
    turning away from a straight course
    My eyes follow the READ posters around the room until I land on one that says READING IS DEVIOUS, which has a pattern I can focus on.
  33. covert
    secret or hidden
    “Hey, Drew!” Trissa beckons in a stage whisper from the 800s alcove of the library when I round the corner. She’s not exactly being covert, and there are a few other things I notice off the bat...
  34. cascade
    rush down in big quantities
    Trissa has her usual braids, but she’s added a cascading rainbow of green, blue, and red rubber bands.
  35. conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
    Since I’m nice, I don’t point out that she’s wearing the most conspicuous outfit possible.
  36. flak
    intense adverse criticism
    “See—I can wear my uniform shirt over this and there’s nothing in the code about red and blue on shoes. Besides, I love Yoda.”
    “Yeah, me too,” I admit. “You don’t get any flak when you take off your sweatshirt?”
  37. stereotypical
    lacking spontaneity or originality or individuality
    Young and often found wearing pop-culture-themed Hawaiian shirts, Mr. Covacha is the polar opposite of your stereotypical shushing librarian.
  38. bound
    confined or obligated by an oath
    I love the idea of being honor bound to do something. If I ever do get to the FBI Academy, I wonder if there’ll be an oath.
  39. nefarious
    extremely wicked
    "The Junipero Valley Killer,” I say in a measured voice, “is only the most nefarious murderer that the Bay Area has seen in the last thirty years. You haven’t...I mean, the news at least?”
  40. regard
    look at attentively
    I regard them both through slitted eyes for a moment, until I can’t take it anymore and I crack up, too.
Created on Wed Nov 15 13:40:27 EST 2023 (updated Thu Nov 16 12:43:28 EST 2023)

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