Book Mosaic: Things to look for while reading your book
Vocabulary Words
As you read, watch for words you don’t know or don’t understand very well. You will need three for
your book mosaic.
Example from Freak the Mighty
Scuttle
Definition: A short, hurried run
Sentence from the book: “Scuttle into your dim hole in the ground, Maxwell dear” (p. 10).
Quotes
As you read, pay attention to parts of the story that seem to be important or meaningful. These could
include lines from the book that tell us about a character’s personality or parts that seem to include
some sort of message. You will need three of these for your book mosaic.
Example from Freak the Mighty
Quote from the book:
“This is why we came here, so Freak could show me where he’s been. The place is important to
him. I understand this much, even if I don’t understand about bionics or what it means to be a
human robot” (p.52).
What it means to me:
I like this quote because it shows how place is important to each of us. It seems to hint that the
hospital is going to be important to Freak later in the story. It also shows that, even though Max
doesn’t think he’s very smart, he understands people.
Text-to-self Connections
While you are reading, if you find yourself thinking something like, “This reminds me of a time when I…”
then you are making a text-to-self connection. This simply means you are finding ways you can relate to
the story. Find at least two text-to-self connections in the book you are reading for your book mosaic.
Example from Freak the Mighty
Freak often tells Max to look words up in the dictionary and Max doesn’t like to do it because he has a
hard time spelling. This reminds me of when I was in 6th grade. Whenever I didn’t know how to spell a
word, I would ask my teacher and he would respond by telling me to look it up in the dictionary. I was
frustrated by that, and a little rude. I used to ask him, “How can I look it up in the dictionary if I don’t
know how to spell it?” I can really relate to Max in this part of the story.
Figurative language
Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the
literal meaning. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are.
Figurative language, in comparison, uses exaggerations or comparisons to make a point. Figurative
language often helps the reader to picture an image in his or her mind. There are many different types
of figurative language. For example:
 Simile: A simile is a comparison that often uses the words like or as. One example of a simile
would be to say, “Jamie runs as fast as the wind.”
 Metaphor: A metaphor is a comparison made between things that are essentially not alike. It is
similar to a simile, but does not use like or as. One example of a metaphor would be to say,
“Nobody invites Edward to parties because he is a wet blanket.”
 Personification: When something that is not human is given human-like qualities, this is known
as personification. An example of personification would be to say, “The leaves danced in the
wind on the cold October afternoon.”
 Hyperbole: Exaggerating, often in a humorous way, to make a particular point is known as
hyperbole. One of example of hyperbole would be to say, “My eyes widened at the sight of the
mile-high ice cream cones we were having for dessert.”
 Onomatopoeia: When you name an action by imitating the sound associated with it, this is
known as onomatopoeia. One example of onomatopoeia would be to say, “The bees buzz
angrily when their hive is disturbed.”
 Idiom: An idiom is an expression used by a particular group of people with a meaning that is only
known through common use. One example of an idiom would be to say, “I’m just waiting for
him to kick the bucket.” Many idioms that are frequently used are also considered clichés.
 Symbolism: Symbolism occurs when a noun which has meaning in itself is used to represent
something entirely different. One example of symbolism would be to use an image of the
American flag to represent patriotism and a love for one’s country.
(Adapted from http://www.yourdictionary.com/dictionary-articles/Figurative-Language.html)
You will need to find one example of figurative language in the book you are reading for your book
mosaic.
Example from Freak the Mighty
Quote from the book: “Television, the opiate of the massives” (p.19).
Type of figurative language: Calling television an opiate (or drug) is an example of a metaphor.