A Journey Through

Figurative Language

Grace Lin wove figurative language all throughout her story, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

Her use of figurative language helped us feel like we were in the story, visualizing the characters, settings and events. What an amazing author!

Here is how!

• Together, we are going to make a digital book full of illustrations of her figurative language.

• We will dedicate this book to Grace Lin and send it to her!

Let’s show her how much we appreciate her gift of language!

Directions:

1 Each pair/trio of students will receive a page number from the book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

2 Find the figurative language used on that page number. There may be more than one!

3 Discuss, what type of figurative language is this? What does it mean?

Types of Figurative Language

Similes Metaphors Personification

You will be finding these types of figurative language:

Personification

Personification is a kind of figurative language

• Personification means to give human thoughts and qualities to nonhuman things

The leaves danced as they fell from the trees

• What are the leaves doing that leaves can’t really do?

The leaves danced as they fell from the trees

• That’s right! Leaves can’t dance

• This is an example of personification

• What is the author trying to tell us about the leaves?

The wind whispered through the trees

• Can wind really whisper?

• What is the author trying to tell us about wind?

• A simile is a comparison between two unlike objects using “like” or “as”

A simile is another kind of figurative language

• What is the author comparing in this simile?

The waves licked the shore like a kitten lapping milk

The waves licked the shore like a kitten lapping milk

• That’s right! The waves are being compared to a kitten lapping milk

The waves licked the shore like a kitten lapping milk

• What is the author trying to say about the waves—that they are rough and fierce, or small and gentle?

• A metaphor is a comparison that does not use “like” or “as”

A metaphor is another kind of figurative language

• What is being compared in this metaphor?

The school was a maze of hallways and passages

• The school was a maze of hallways and passages

• That’s right! The school is being compared to a maze

• The school was a maze of hallways and passages

• What idea is the author trying to express with this metaphor?

The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor

What is it?

What is it?

The water smashed angrily against the rocks

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor

What is it?

My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor

Ready to begin? Directions:

1. Read your assigned page together.

2. Find the figurative language on the page.

3. Fill in the figurative language chart. This is your ticket to receiving white paper and drawing materials.

Illustrate your picture with colored pencils and outline with a

black Sharpie marker.