The Wrong Way Home: Chapters 7–9

by Kate O'Shaughnessy
When twelve-year-old Fern's mom abruptly moves them both across the country, away from their sustainable Ranch community, Fern’s experiences broaden, and she must decide whether to trust her mom and her new emerging self, or return to the Ranch.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–5, Chapter 6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–13, Chapters 14–18, Chapters 19–22, Chapters 23–25, Chapters 26-31, Chapters 32-34
25 words 38 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. distracted
    having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
    I’m trying to re-create it as closely as I can, but I’m messing up more than usual. I’m distracted, so I take lots of breaks to open the curtains and look out the window.
  2. lurk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    I like to watch the seagulls wheel and cry. There are some other types of birds I’ve noticed, but I don’t know their names. I listen to the pounding of the waves and try to imagine what kinds of sea animals might be out there, lurking under the surface.
  3. emit
    give off, send forth, or discharge
    Dr. Ben has a lot to say about technology, and most of all, phones. He says they disconnect us from the world around us, from other people. Hyper-connection means lack of connection is what he likes to say. And at their worst, they emit radiation that can make us sick. “They’re too unhealthy.”
  4. radiation
    energy transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles
    Dr. Ben has a lot to say about technology, and most of all, phones. He says they disconnect us from the world around us, from other people. Hyper-connection means lack of connection is what he likes to say. And at their worst, they emit radiation that can make us sick. “They’re too unhealthy.”
  5. stationery
    paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters
    Instead of resting, I spend the morning working on my letter, on Lighthouse Motel stationery I found tucked in the drawer of the nightstand.
  6. enunciate
    express or state clearly
    I repeat myself, enunciating each word as clearly as possible.
  7. barter
    exchange goods without involving money
    “I was hoping we could trade.”
    The woman’s stare has turned from confusion to disbelief. “Honey, this is the United States Postal Service. We don’t barter."
  8. nutrient
    any substance that can be metabolized to give energy
    There are lots of things I know. For example, I know you can’t plant garlic and beans close together, because they need the same nutrients from the soil.
  9. constrict
    become tight or as if tight
    My chest constricts as a wave of homesickness overwhelms me. Meadowlark, I think.
  10. overwhelm
    overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
    My chest constricts as a wave of homesickness overwhelms me. Meadowlark, I think.
    I can’t bear to go back to our damp little motel room alone.
  11. dainty
    delicately beautiful
    She wipes her hands on her delicate lace apron. It’s as dainty as the tablecloths inside, and it doesn’t quite match up with the rest of her.
  12. earthy
    not far removed from or suggestive of nature
    It smells good in here—like baking bread and the sweet, earthy tang of tea.
  13. tang
    a pungent and distinctive odor
    It smells good in here—like baking bread and the sweet, earthy tang of tea.
  14. sludge
    any thick, viscous matter
    The tea tasted awful, like pond sludge, and I didn’t dream anything at all.
  15. dread
    fearful expectation or anticipation
    It’s Mom.
    My phone, I realize with a rush of dread. It’s still off and deep in my pocket. I completely forgot to text her.
  16. frantic
    excessively agitated; distraught with violent emotion
    Mom’s acting so frantic and angry I can’t help but start to cry.
  17. ebb
    fall away or decline
    Most of my anger and embarrassment from earlier have ebbed away and made room instead for curiosity.
  18. apparently
    seemingly; as far as one can tell
    Mom goes back to cleaning right away. Apparently, she left her cart in the middle of the walkway when I wasn’t picking up my phone, so she’s in a rush to make sure everything’s still there.
  19. familiarity
    personal knowledge or information about someone or something
    If my lack of familiarity with computers is strange to him, he doesn’t show it.
  20. quirk
    a strange attitude or habit
    Soon I hear the hiss of the shower and the sound of Mom singing loudly to herself, which is something she’s started doing again the past couple of days. Another little quirk of hers I’d forgotten about.
  21. ruse
    a deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture
    Once I pretended I had food poisoning so I could stay up all night in the bathroom with the lights on. Only I wasn’t sick. I wanted to finish the book I was reading. I made groaning sounds and flushed the toilet every fifteen minutes to keep up the ruse.
  22. distinct
    recognizable; marked
    When she comes inside, our little motel room fills with smells—yeast and butter, and the distinct scent of coffee.
  23. croissant
    a very rich, flaky, crescent-shaped roll
    Then she grins and wiggles a paper bag at me. “And since you didn’t get to try anything at the shop yesterday, I brought you a little something. Fresh croissant. Still warm from the oven.”
  24. organic
    grown or raised without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides
    “It’s okay,” Mom says. “As long as I’ve known her, Babs has only used the best ingredients.”
    “It’s true,” Babs agrees. “Organic ingredients and butter from pasture-raised cows.”
  25. murky
    cloudy, dirty, and difficult to see through
    It’s strange; somehow being back in the outside world is jostling my memories. It’s like all these little details are floating up from the bottom of a murky pond.
Created on Sat Apr 26 22:08:43 EDT 2025 (updated Fri May 09 14:35:36 EDT 2025)

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