Picture books not only engage students but also provide clear examples, making lessons on figurative language not just educational but fun. Whether you’re teaching idioms, metaphors, similes, personification, alliterations, or onomatopoeias, there is a book you can share to captivate your students. Here you’ll find a comprehensive list of figurative language picture books for upper elementary that you can share with your 4th & 5th grade students.
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Similes & Metaphors
There are quite a few books available for introducing similes and a couple for metaphors. Here is a selection of books you can share with your students when teaching or reteaching these two types of figurative language.
1. Stubborn as a Mule and other Silly Similes by Nancey Loewen (similes)
Stubborn as a Mule and other Silly Similes contains large vivid images and various similes. The similes are broken down to explain their meanings. I find this book to be perfect as an introductory lesson to similes especially if you have English Language Learners in your classroom.
2. Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood (similes)
Quick as a Cricket is a simple yet classic book. It contains large vivid images with a simile for each image. This book does not explain the simile, so it is a good book to use interactively. You can show the image, read the text, and ask students what the simile is trying to say. Ex. I am as quick as a cricket means that the person is very fast. If someone has every tried to catch a cricket, they can see that it is quite challenging to do because they move around swiftly.
3. Crazy like a Fox: A Simile Story by Doreen Leedy (similes)
In Crazy like a Fox, the story revolves around Rufus and his many adventures. It reads a little more primary like, but it includes many different similes. This makes a great conversation book.
4. My Mouth is a Volcano: A Book About Interrupting by Julia Cook (metaphor & other figurative language)
While there aren’t too many books that are specific to metaphors, My Mouth is a Volcano is a great addition to your figurative language collection. The title is a metaphor, and you can find examples of hyperbole and personification as well. This book also makes a great back to school read aloud.
5. Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow (metaphor & other figurative language)
Just as the book above, Your Name is a Song contains the metaphor “Your name is a song” and a few others, as well as other types of figurative language.
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In Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What are Similes and Metaphors?, Brian explains what each figurative language is and provides examples. Each simile and metaphor is printed in color for easy identification in this book.
Personification
Personification is usually found in poetry. Although some books like The Day the Crayons Quit and The Bad Seed revolve around objects that speak like humans, it may be beneficial to work with poems to best point out personification in a more natural state for upper elementary student to understand.
1. Twilight Comes Twice by Ralph Fletcher
I enjoy teaching personification using Twilight Comes Twice because it is written in poem form which is how you usually see figurative language and personification appear naturally. This book contains examples of personification throughout. The language and illustrations are mature, perfect for 4th and 5th grade.
2. The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors is a fun read about how Rock, Paper, Scissors came to be. Because these nonhuman objects show human characteristics, it’s a fun way to teach about personification.
Alliteration
Alliteration is a fun and pretty easy concept to teach to students. Using a picture book is a fun way to get the message across.
1. Chips and Cheese and Nana’s Knees: What is Alliteration? By Brian P. Cleary
I truly enjoy Brian P. Cleary’s books for teaching different grammar skills. When I found Chips and Cheese and Nana’s Knees: What is Alliteration?, I knew I had to share it. This book explains and provides examples for what an alliteration is.
2. If You Were Alliteration by Trisha Speed Shaskan
If You Were Alliteration is another great book that explicitly describes what an alliteration is and provides examples through out the book. The images are vibrant and the words are large making it a great read aloud.
Onomatopoeia
1. If You Were Onomatopoeia by Trisha Speed Shaskan
Another great book by Trisha Speed Shakan focusing on figurative language. If You were Onomatopoeia explains what an onomatopoeia is and how it is seen and used in print. Another great read aloud due to its explanations, vivid images, and large print. I love this author’s series and own quite a few of her books.
2. Squeak, Rumble, WHOMP! WHOMP! WHOMP! By Wynton Marsalis
Squeak, Rumble, WHOMP! WHOMP! WHOMP! tells a story, but includes different examples of onomatopoeia throughout the book. The images are beautiful and the onomatopoeia is written in curvy large letters that stand out.
Hyperbole
1. Heat Wave by Helen Ketteman
Heat Wave tells the story of what happens on a farm when a heat wave hits. The story is filled with exaggerations; corn starts popping, flowers pluck themselves out of the ground, and chicken get roasted.
Idioms
There are quite a few selection of books available to teach idioms, so I have dedicated an entire other blog post to it. You can check the Idiom Book List for Teaching Upper Elementary blog post to see them all.
