Figurative language helps readers imagine the author’s ideas, or creates a special effect.
• A simile compares two things using the word like or as.
• A metaphor compares two things without using like or as. It often has the word is or are.
> Answer the questions about page 161 of The Upside Down Boy.
What similes does the author use in paragraphs 14 and 15?
What are these similes comparing?
In paragraph 17, what does Juanito call his tongue?
Is his tongue really a rock?
What does that metaphor mean?
When Juanito gets ready to sing, he says, “I am frozen.” What does he mean?
Do Juanito’s eyes really open as big as the ceiling? What does the expression mean?
What does Juanito mean when he says, “My hands spread out as if catching rain drops from the sky”?