Rowan of Rin: Chapters 7–9

by Emily Rodda
When the river that supports the village of Rin suddenly runs dry, the villagers' survival is threatened. Rowan, a timid boy, joins a small band of villagers to courageously face their dangerous Mountain and its terrifying Dragon to restore their life-giving water source.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–13
15 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tasteless
    lacking flavor
    The bread and cheese lay tasteless now in his mouth.
  2. decree
    issue an authoritative order
    All of them stopped obediently when Bronden decreed, to help cut the limp, spiky tips from the pine-smelling trees that were growing along the way.
  3. squelch
    walk through mud or swampy land
    The only sound was the squelching of their feet as they plodded on.
  4. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    He slowed, straining his eyes to see through the mist that twisted and billowed, disguising the shape.
  5. suffocate
    deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
    The mist cleared, and he could see her rolling her eyes in panic, thrashing her neck from side to side in the sticky, suffocating swamp.
  6. snare
    something that catches you unawares
    "Let us take great care where we tread," warned Strong Jonn. "The mud is a snare. We may not be so lucky next time."
  7. bog
    wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation
    The mist thickened around them, filling their mouths and noses with the taste and smell of the bog.
  8. treacherous
    dangerously unstable and unpredictable
    He staggered backward, pulling one wet and muddy leg from the treacherous ground into which it had plunged.
  9. veer
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    And again they pushed forward, feeling their way, veering always to the northwest, till at last the mud began to firm beneath their feet, and the ground began to rise, and they knew that the dreadful journey was nearly at an end.
  10. hearth
    an area near a fireplace extending into a room
    While they ate in the bright circle of light, Allun, Marlie, and Jonn talked of the village and told tales of times gone by and things that made them laugh. They could have been sitting beside Jiller's hearth in Rin.
  11. ember
    a hot, smoldering fragment of wood left from a fire
    But when the food had been put away, and they had woven Bronden's green stems into torches for the following day, and the fire had burned down to glowing embers, the heavy darkness began to press in on them.
  12. pang
    a sudden sharp feeling
    Rowan would have given much for a long, hot bath. Mother would smile at that, he thought. I usually complain about having baths. And at once a pang of loneliness stabbed through him.
  13. bewildered
    extremely confused and uncertain what to do
    He imagined their bewildered snuffling sounds as they found the water even lower than before.
  14. sheer
    very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front
    Rising over the tops of the trees directly ahead of them was a sheer cliff of red-gold rock glistening in the first rays of the sun.
  15. emerge
    come out of
    But when half an hour later they emerged from the trees and saw what lay at the foot of the cliff, they realized the wisdom of her words.
Created on Fri Oct 17 20:06:49 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Dec 23 12:29:00 EST 2025)

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