With 100+ full-page illustrations, The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions introduces readers to the fascinating, humorous, and often unbelievable origin stories behind the English language’s most common sayings! Why do we bring home the bacon, instead of some other salty meat? Whose beans are we spilling, exactly? Why was that cat in the bag to begin with? Every day, English speaking people turn phrase after phrase, idiom after idiom, with no actual idea what they are saying! Sure, the meaning of these expressions has long been established, but rarely do we stop to think about where they come from. The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions will profile 64 of the greatest idiom origin stories through simple text and captivating illustration. No longer will you wonder why getting a goat is so frustrating, or why hatters are so mad (and no, that one doesn’t come from Alice in Wonderland)! With The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions, everyday phrases come to life! Inside this charming little hardcover volume, the illustrated idioms will be arranged chronologically, with the oldest expressions appearing first, working all the way up to the present day. Each entry will provide the saying’s definition and origin story, laid out cohesively within a funny and captivating illustration of the strange and wonderful long-forgotten story. Whalen Book Works is an independent book publishing company that combines top-notch design, unique formats, and fresh content to create truly innovative gift books. We bring together a talented team of writers, designers, illustrators, and artists in order to develop strong editorial content that brings a book to life!

"Why must you bless a sneeze? What's the point of clinking glasses? What does RSVP mean?...Read up on the long-forgotten histories behind your everyday habits..." --back cover.

The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Inventions uncovers the fascinating, humorous, and often unbelievable origins behind the world’s most overlooked innovations! Nobody knows the backstories behind our most taken-for-granted inventions, like credit cards, egg cartons, windshield wipers, and breakfast sandwiches! But the strange and wonderful origins of these inventions are far from ordinary: They are rooted in forgotten history. Inside this hardcover book, discover the extraordinary true stories of: the TOASTER — actually the best thing before sliced bread the PASSPORT — the original Facebook the TOOTHBRUSH — so much more than bamboo + hog bristles the PIZZA SAVER — no pie left behind since 1985 SLICED BREAD — at first, no one wanted it and MANY, MANY MORE of history’s most influential discoveries! Organized chronologically from 75,000 B.C. to today and illustrated with more than 200 pieces of original artwork, The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Inventions is as beautiful as it is entertaining and informative. Discover who invented BATHING, why some of the first-ever BEDS were naturally mosquito-repellant, how president Theodore Roosevelt’s encounter with a black bear inspired the TEDDY BEAR, and why SELFIE STICKS might be older than you think!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Lost in Translation and Eating the Sun, a charming illustrated collection of more than fifty expressions from around the globe that explores the nuances of language From the hilarious and romantic to the philosophical and literal, the idioms, proverbs, and adages in this illustrated collection address the nuances of language in the form of sayings from around the world. From the French idiom “to pedal in the sauerkraut” (meaning, “to spin your wheels”), to the Japanese idiom “even monkeys fall from trees” (meaning, “even experts can be wrong”), The Illustrated Book of Sayings reveals the remarkable diversity, humor, and poignancy of the world’s languages and cultures.

With more than 7,000 up-to-date phrases, this dictionary covers situations from talking to a doctor to ordering a meal, and helps learners communicate personal feelings, and make small talk.

A multicultural book that teaches English idioms about nature. Includes popular idioms, idiom meanings, example sentences, and colorful illustrations of characters and settings from around the world. This book also provides an English audio recording and links to teaching resources. This is a great resource for diverse classrooms!