This paper builds on previous work on metaphor analysis from the perspective of a teacher educator working with practising teachers. The benefits for teachers and teacher educators of surfacing teachers' beliefs, as reflected in their use of metaphoric language, are outlined, and a collection of some 200 images (metaphors and similes) elicited from Brazilian teachers of English is presented and discussed. These images, representing teachers' views of their English-language teaching textbooks, suggest varying degrees of textbook dependence. The implications of this finding for in-service teacher education are explored and possible directions suggested for related research. (Contains 1 note and 1 table.)