Books with title Figure of Speech, A

Both overlooked in the middle of a big, noisy family, Jenny and her grandpa will always have each other to confide in . . . right? No one in Jenny Pennoyer’s family understands her at all—no one, that is, except her grandfather, who lives in an apartment in the basement of her family’s home. Jenny and her grandfather have been close ever since she was born, when Grandpa, newly widowed, found that a baby was just the thing he needed to get back on his feet. But as Jenny’s family grows and they’re all pinched together in one house, her parents become less and less patient with Grandpa’s desire to be independent. Jenny feels like his only defender, the only one who sees him as a person with a mind of his own. As Jenny grows increasingly protective, Grandpa’s determination and Jenny’s love for him will lead them on an adventure together that their family never expected.

“Enjoyable and informative . . . Using this humorously presented book, children will truly improve their styles of writing” (School Library Journal). Writing “The road was bumpy” is okay . . . but isn’t it more fun to say “It felt like we were riding on square tires”? This lively guide shows kids how to make their writing more dramatic, more memorable, or just plain funnier—whether they’re writing for school or for creative expression. It explains six techniques: SimilesMetaphorsOnomatopoeiaAlliterationHyperbolePersonification . . . and provides guidelines for their use, plenty of examples, and entertaining illustrations.

The eccentric talent of the legendary Mervyn Peake figures prominently in FIGURES OF SPEECH, a playful series of drawings that challenge the reader to guess what familiar saying each picture portrays."We give no table of contents here, for to do so would spoil your pleasure," wrote author-illustrator Mervyn Peake when this quirky book was first published in 1939. "Each drawing represents a particular Figure of Speech." Following were twenty-nine drawings, identified only by number: a couple with their noses on fire; a gentleman cutting pages from a book; a tropical explorer resting his heels inside water glasses. Revealed in a key at the end were the "figures of speech" the drawings portrayed (in this case, "burning their bridges," "cutting a long story short," and, of course, "cooling his heels").Now this idiosyncratic volume has been lovingly reissued, its original black-and-white drawings set against colorful panels. Whether enjoyed simply for its witty, intriguing, and masterly pictures or used as a game book with family or friends, Figures of Speech will delight devoted followers of Mervyn Peake and everyone else who loves visual puns.