Between the Shades of Gray
BY: RUTA SEPETYS
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 UBoat
 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?
Palpable (pg 25)
 Definition
 Able to be touched or felt
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