Words Worth Spilling
The series 101 Idioms & Sayings

The sayings you’ve used all your life and the surprising stories behind them.

Ever wondered where everyday sayings and phrases come from? Three illustrated books take you on a delightful journey through the history of the English language, from the kitchen table to the night sky and the wildest corners of the animal kingdom. Each saying comes with its meaning, a familiar example and a short history of its origins, sometimes from much farther away than you’d think. A fun little read to dip into, one phrase at a time.

Written by Elvira Sloane · Published by Chatterquill Press

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Three books, 303 sayings

More about the books

Food for Thought: 101 English Food Idioms, cover
Book one

Food for Thought

101 English Food Idioms

A mouthwatering collection of food idioms and everyday expressions, and the curious origins behind them. Why do we bring home the bacon, spill the beans or find ourselves in a pickle? Pull up a chair: English has been talking with its mouth full for centuries.

  • Bring home the baconto earn the money that keeps the household going.
  • A storm in a teacupa big fuss about something small.
  • Egg on your faceto look foolish after a public mistake.

Insidelaid out like a kitchen, one section at a time, with Chef’s Tips along the way.

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Written in the Stars: 101 English Space Idioms, Words and Sayings, cover
Book two

Written in the Stars

101 English Space Idioms, Words & Sayings

Meanings, examples and entertaining facts for stargazing minds. Discover why we are over the moon, reach for the stars and only do some things once in a blue moon, and where those phrases came from.

  • Once in a blue moonvery rarely.
  • Fly too close to the sunto take a risk so bold that it ends in disaster.
  • Hitch your wagon to a starto aim high and follow a great ambition.

Insidea flight plan from Earth to the Moon, the Sun and the Galaxy.

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Wild and Woolly: 101 English Animal Idioms, cover
Book three

Wild and Woolly

101 English Animal Idioms

Every animal tells a story, and 101 of them made it into English. Why do we let cats out of bags, smell rats and send each other on wild goose chases, usually without a single creature in sight? This is your entertaining field guide to the wildest corner of the English language, packed with surprising animal expressions.

  • Like a bull in a china shopclumsy and careless where care is needed.
  • Straight from the horse’s mouthdirectly from the most reliable source.
  • Let the cat out of the bagto reveal a secret by accident.

Insidea bestiary of creatures great and small, each with its own saying.

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Who are they for?

For every curious mind

  • The endlessly curious

    For anyone who has ever wondered where a saying comes from. Expect origins you’ve never considered and plenty of “I never knew that!” moments.

  • Family and friends

    Funny, familiar examples you’ll recognize from home, and enjoyable stories to share over coffee or around the dinner table.

  • Word lovers

    A smart, genuinely fun gift for every word lover, writer and language enthusiast, or anyone who loves a good story.

Learning English? The clear meanings and everyday examples make these phrases easy to understand and use.

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From the series 101 Idioms & Sayings by Elvira Sloane, a Chatterquill Press book
Food for Thought✦Written in the Stars✦Wild and Woolly
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Words Worth Spilling