BY: RUTA SEPETYS

Between the Shades of Gray

Setting

Setting- Soviet Union/Russia

Setting- Siberia

Setting- Year 1941 (The United States)

The US is not officially involved in WWII.

Franklin D Roosevelt is President

January- 2nd cartoon featuring Bugs

Bunny is released Charles Lindbergh (famous

pilot) says US should negotiate with Adolph Hitler for peace

Setting- Year 1941 (The United States)

Oct 23: Disney’s Dumbo is released

War bonds go on sale to pay for military equipment

May 21: The first US ship is sunk by a German U-Boat

December 7, Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor

December 6, 1941: Pearl Harbor

Setting: 1941 (The United States)

December 8: Roosevelt declares war on Japan. Gives his famous Infamy Speech.

Ruta Sepetys- Author Video

Essential Vocabulary

Tone: The way the story is told “What the heck are you doing? You are going to

spread the germ like wildfire!” More informal/like a conversation

“I want to draw the attention of the concerned authorities toward damage caused by an epidemic. If steps were not taken to curb it, it will further injure our community” More formal/ like from a book or important

person

Essential Vocabulary

Point of View: Who is telling the story?The angle of thinking about things, shows us the

opinion, or feelings of the individuals involved in a situation. First person: involves the use of either of the two

pronouns “I” and “we”. Example:“I felt like I was getting drowned

with shame and disgrace.” Third person: uses pronouns like “he”, “she”, “it”,

“they” or a name. Example: “Mr. Stewart is a principled man.

He acts by the book and never lets you deceive him easily.”

Vocabulary Words

Ivory (pg 3)Derogatory (pg 7)Divert (pg 11)Mangled (pg 14)

Ivory (pg 3)

Sentence from the book… I opened a new ivory writing tablet and a case of

pens…

What do you think the word means?

Ivory

Definition 1. a creamy-white color. 2. White substance from animal tusks (elephants,

walrus)

Derogatory (pg 7)

Sentence from the book… Papa yelled at me and told me to never, ever say

anything derogatory about the Soviets.

What do you think the word means?

Derogatory (pg 7)

Definition showing a critical or disrespectful attitude.

Divert (pg 11)

Sentence from the book… “I have to use the bathroom,” I announced trying

to divert attention away from my mother and the coat.

What do you think the word means?

Divert (pg 11)

Definition distract (someone or their attention) from

something.

Mangled (pg 14)

Sentence from the book… One of his legs looked mangled.

What do you think the word means?

Mangled

Definition severely mutilate, disfigure, or damage by

cutting, tearing, or crushing.

Palpable (pg 25)

Sentence from the book… The chaos was palpable. Families were being

separated. Children screamed and mothers pleaded.

What do you think the word means?

Definition Able to be touched or felt

Palpable (pg 25)

Approximately (pg 31)

Sentence from the book… At the end of the car, large planks of wood

approximately six feet deep had been installed as shelves.

What do you think the word means?

Approximately

Definition Of about the same quantity or quality

Mesmerized (pg 38)

Sentence from the book… Even the two daughters left their grouchy mother

and sat mesmerized by the fantastic tales.

What do you think the word means?

Mesmerized

Definition To hold the attention of someone or something

Horizon (pg 40)

Sentence from the book… The sun had just appeared on the horizon.

What do you think the word means?

horizon

Definition The line at which the sky and land appear to meet

Ashen (pg 47)

Sentence from the book… Mother’s face was ashen. She did a poor job of

hiding her fear this time.

What do you think the word means?

ashen

Definition Color of pale ash Pale with shock, fear, or illness

Suspended (pg 54)

Sentence from the book… I grabbed onto the undercarriage of the train and

lifted my legs up, suspended under the car.

What do you think the word means?

suspended

Definition Hang (something) from somewhere

Eerie (pg 57)

Sentence from the book… The station looked eerie, desolate, frozen with

only remnants of the chaos that had taken place.

What do you think the word means?

eerie

Definition Strange and frightening

Intermittent (pg 60)

Sentence from the book… Intermittent shots rang out in the distance.

What do you think the word means?

Intermittent

Definition Occurring at irregular times, not continuous or steady

puncture

Sentence from the book… The sun reflected off the dagger-shaped blades.

They could puncture us within a fraction of a second.

What do you think the word means?

puncture

Definition To make a hole in something

Lunged

Sentence from the book… We were given two buckets of slop and water.

The children lunged for it.

What do you think the word means?

lunged

Definition A sudden thrust forward of the body

atrophied

Sentence from the book… “We must stretch before sitting down,

sweetheart,” said Mother. “Our muscles have surely atrophied these past weeks.”

What do you think the word means?

atrophied

Definition 1. Body tissue wasting away from little/no use 2. Decrease in effectiveness because of little use

prolonged

Sentence from the book… I felt awkward under his prolonged gaze.

What do you think the word means?

prolonged

Definition Continuing for a long time

propelled

Sentence from the book… My drawing stick rolled away, propelled by the

wind and rain.

What do you think the word means?

propelled

Definition Caused to move foreword

blossomed

Sentence from the book… A wide bruise blossomed across her cheek.

What do you think the word means?

blossomed

Definition 1. To grow in a healthy way. 2. When a tree/bush sprouts flowers

hysterical

Sentence from the book… “Calm yourselves,” he said slowly. “We do no

good by becoming hysterical.”

What do you think the word means?

hysterical

Definition Extreme emotion

obediently

Sentence from the book… We sat obediently, like schoolchildren in front of

the principal.

What do you think the word means?

obediently

Definition Willing to obey

muffle

Sentence from the book… “Mmm, hmm,” I said, trying to muffle my tears.

What do you think the word means?

Definition Wrapped or covered

bolster

Sentence from the book… She would chat with the person and work next to

them in the field, trying to bolster their spirit.

What do you think the word means?

bolster

Definition To support or strengthen/ prop up

obscene

Sentence from the book… The other NKVD raised his eyebrows and made

obscene gestures with his fingers before laughing and walking away.

What do you think the word means?

obscene

Definition Offensive or disgusting

censored

Sentence from the book… “But she said the letters were cryptic and arrived

with markings.”

“Of course they did, they’re censored.”

What do you think the word means?

censored

Definition To delete parts of something