1. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls Chapters 1-5 Vocabulary

2. allotted Part of Speech: verb Definition: to divide or distribute by share or portion Sentence from the Novel: “The land we lived on was Cherokee land, allotted to my mother because of the Cherokee blood that flowed in her veins.” – Chapter 2

3. aromatic Part of Speech: adjective Definition: having an aroma; fragrant or sweet-scented Sentence from the Novel: “In the spring the aromatic scent of wild flowers, redbuds, papaws, and dogwoods, drifting on the wind currents, spread over the valley and around our home.” – Chapter 2

4. canebrakes Part of Speech: noun Definition: thickets of canes Sentence from the Novel: “I knew every game trail in the thick canebrakes, and every animal track that was pressed in the mud along the riverbanks.” – Chapter 2

5. commotion Part of Speech: noun Definition: agitation; noisy disturbance Sentence from the Novel: “Hearing a noise from the bed, I looked back. The girl pup, hearing the commotion, had gotten up and joined the boy dog.” – Chapter 5

6. dormant Part of Speech: adjective Definition: in a state of rest or inactivity Sentence from the Novel: “It’s strange indeed how memories can lie dormant in a man’s mind for so many years.” – Chapter 1

7. drastic Part of Speech: adjective Definition: extremely severe or extensive Sentence from the Novel: “I figured something drastic must have happened in his life, as it is very unusual for a hound to be traveling all alone.” – Chapter 1

8. dumbfounded Part of Speech: adjective Definition: speechless with amazement; astonished Sentence: “Grandpa was dumbfounded. He tried to say something, but it wouldn’t come out. He looked at me, and he looked at the pile of coins. Finally, in a much louder voice than he ordinarily used, he asked, ‘Where did you get all this?’” – Chapter 3

9. festered Part of Speech: verb Definition: to become painful or inflamed Sentence from the Novel: “Every time I’d see a coon track down in our fields, or along the riverbanks, the old sore would get all festered up and start hurting again.” – Chapter 3

10. muster Part of Speech: verb Definition: to gather, summon, rouse (often followed by “up”) Sentence from the Novel: “The stationmaster was in his office looking at some papers. He was wearing a funny little cap that had no top on it. He looked friendly enough but I still couldn’t muster up enough courage to go in.”

11. provisions Part of Speech: noun Definition: supplies of food Sentence from the Novel: “At the outskirts of town, I hid my flour sack and provisions, keeping the gunny sack.”

12. quavering Part of Speech: verb Definition: (of a person’s voice) shake or tremble in speaking, typically through nervousness or emotion Sentence from the Novel: “In a quavering voice, he said, ‘Well, son, it’s your money. You worked for it, and you worked hard.” – Chapter 3

13. sheen Part of Speech: noun Definition: luster; brightness; radiance Sentence from the Novel: “The highly polished surface gleamed and glistened with a golden sheen.” – Chapter 1

14. sparsely Part of Speech: adverb Definition: thinly scattered or distributed Sentence from the Novel: “Our home was in a beautiful valley far back in the rugged Ozarks. The country was new and sparsely settled.” – Chapter 2

15. squalling Part of Speech: verb Definition: to cry or scream loudly and violently Sentence from the Novel: “It was too much for him and he took off down the street, squalling like a scalded cat.” – Chapter 1