164 Best Idioms Books of All Time
We've ranked the best idioms books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.
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2A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)
Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms
4Parts
5Even More Parts
6In a Pickle: And Other Funny Idioms
7The King Who Rained
8A Chocolate Moose for Dinner
A gorilla war? Car pools? Playing the piano by ear? It's no wonder a little girl is confused by some of the strange things she overhears her mommy and daddy saying. With his hilarious wordplay and zany illustrations, Fred Gwynne keeps children of all ages in stitches!
9With Flying Colors: Color Idioms (A Multicultural Book)
How do you show your true colors?
Idioms can be confusing, but they help you to understand English and are a lot of fun to learn!
With clever multicultural illustrations, idiom meanings, and example sentences, With Flying Colors explains common color idioms in a way that makes them easy to understand. It's a perfect book to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students.
With Flying Colors includes bonus material to support English language learners and promote culturally responsive teaching, such as links to:
• English audio of the book
• Information about the history of the idioms in the book
• Additional color idioms, their meaning, and history
• Lesson plans to help teach idioms while exposing children to other cultures
With Flying Colors is a great resource to build language skills while having fun!
Other books in the Language Lizard Idiom Book Series are:
Icing on the Cake: Food Idioms by Troon Harrison, illustrated by Joyeeta Neogi
Fresh as a Daisy: Nature Idioms by Diane Costa, illustrated by Maria Russo
The Lion's Share: Animal Idioms by Troon Harrison, illustrated by Dmitry Fedorov
10Icing on the Cake: Food Idioms (A Multicultural Book)
Why would you spill the beans?
Idioms can be confusing, but they help you to understand English and are a lot of fun to learn!
With clever multicultural illustrations, idiom meanings, and example sentences, Icing on the Cake explains common food idioms in a way that makes them easy to understand. It's a perfect book to build language skills while having fun!
Icing on the Cake includes bonus material to support English language learners and promote culturally responsive teaching, such as links to:
English audio of the book
Information about the history of the idioms in the book
Additional food idioms, their meaning, and history
Lesson plans to help teach idioms while exposing children to other cultures
Icing on the Cake is a great resource to teach students in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.
11Amelia Bedelia (Amelia Bedelia, #1)
12The Lion's Share: Animal Idioms (A Multicultural Book)
Why would you take a bull by the horns?
Idioms can be confusing, but they help you to understand English and are a lot of fun to learn!
With clever multicultural illustrations, idiom meanings, and example sentences, The Lion's Share explains common animal idioms in a way that makes them easy to understand. It's a perfect book to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students.
The Lion's Share includes bonus material to support English language learners and promote culturally responsive teaching, such as links to:
English audio of the book
Information about the history of the idioms in the book
Additional animal idioms, their meaning, and history
Lesson plans to help teach idioms while exposing children to other cultures
The Lion’s Share is a great resource to build language skills while having fun!
Other books in the Language Lizard Idiom Book Series:
With Flying Colors: Color Idioms by Anneke Forzani, illustrated by Dmitry Fedorov
Fresh as a Daisy: Nature Idioms by Diane Costa, illustrated by Maria Russo
Icing on the Cake: Food Idioms by Troon Harrison, illustrated by Joyeeta Neogi
13Fresh as a Daisy: Nature Idioms (A Multicultural Book) (Language Lizard Idiom)
Why would you be under the weather?
Idioms can be confusing, but they help you to understand English and are a lot of fun to learn!
With clever multicultural illustrations, idiom meanings, and example sentences, Fresh as a Daisy explains common nature idioms in a way that makes them easy to understand. It's a perfect book to teach students in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.
Fresh as a Daisy includes bonus material to support English language learners and promote culturally responsive teaching, such as links to:
English audio of the book
Information about the history of the idioms in the book
Additional nature idioms, their meaning, and history
Lesson plans to help teach idioms while exposing children to other cultures
Fresh as a Daisy is a great resource to build language skills while having fun!
14Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker
15Home of the Brave
In Africa, Kek lived with his mother, father, and brother. But only he and his mother have survived, and now she's missing. Kek is on his own. Slowly, he makes friends: a girl who is in foster care; an old woman who owns a rundown farm, and a cow whose name means "family" in Kek's native language. As Kek awaits word of his mother's fate, he weathers the tough Minnesota winter by finding warmth in his new friendships, strength in his memories, and belief in his new country.
Bestselling author Katherine Applegate presents a beautifully wrought novel about an immigrant's journey from hardship to hope.
Home of the Brave is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: The Most Practical Reference to the Idiomatic and Verbal Expressions of Contemporary American English
The dictionary also includes a handy Phrase-Finder Index that lets users find a phrase by looking up any major word appearing in it.
Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back
Is a famous, successful, and admired lion a happy lion? Or is he a lion at all? Written and drawn with wit and gusto, Shel Silverstein's modern fable speaks not only to children but to us all!
First published in 1963, this book had rave reviews from the New York Times, Time magazine, and Publishers Weekly, as well as a starred review from Kirkus. Now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, Lafcadio is being reissued with a full-color cover featuring vintage art from Shel Silverstein discovered in the archives.
Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back is the book that started Shel Silverstein's incomparable career as a bestselling children's book author and illustrator. He is also the creator of picture books such as A Giraffe and a Half, Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, and the perennial favorite The Giving Tree and of classic poetry collections such as Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Falling Up, Every Thing On It, Don't Bump the Glump!, and Runny Babbit.
And don't miss Runny Babbit Returns, the new bookk from Shel Silverstein!
18Dictionary of American English Idioms and Slang: A Bridge to Successful Communication
19The World Is Your Oyster
20English Idioms in Use Intermediate
21The Farlex Idioms and Slang Dictionary
22The 80 Best American Expressions: Idioms for Understanding and Speaking English
23The Great Book of American Idioms: A Dictionary of American Idioms, Sayings, Expressions & Phrases
Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases
Over 400 intriguing, entertaining, and often hilarious etymological journey
English is filled with curious, intriguing and bizarre phrases.
This book reveals the surprising, captivating and even hilarious origins behind 400 of them, including: "Read between the Lines", "Cat Got Your Tongue?", "Put a Sock in It", "Close, but No Cigar", "Bring Home the Bacon", "Caught Red-Handed", "Under the Weather", Raining Cats and Dogs".
25Fowl Play: A Mystery Told in Idioms! (Detective Books for Kids, Funny Children's Books)
26The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms: American English Idiomatic Expressions & Phrases
27English Idioms in Use Intermediate Book with Answers: Vocabulary Reference and Practice
28Idioms in the Bible Explained and a Key to the Original Gospel
World-renowned Bible translator and commentator George M. Lamsa explains nearly one thousand crucial idioms that will enrich reading of the Old and New Testaments for students and general reader alike.
Lamsa, who was raised speaking Aramaic in a community that followed customs largely unchanged since the times of Christ, offers fresh, accurate translations of important idioms, metaphors, and figures of speech found in the Scripture--and provides clear explanations of their meaning of biblical context.
Just as Shakespeare, Milton, and Browning wrote in the vernacular for English-speaking people, Moses the prophets, and the apostles wrote for their own people in the plain language of their times, so that even the unlearned might understand God's Word. Over the centuries, inaccurate translations and misunderstandings of customs and concepts have led to difficulties in bringing the biblical message to contemporary English-speaking readers.
For example, when a man says to Jesus, "let me bury my father," Lamsa points out that this expression means, "Let me first take care of my father until he dies." Traditionally, scholars assumed that this man's father was dead and that Jesus was not interested in his burial. Lamsa's scholarship offers a more accurate understanding of the intent and spirit of this passage.
"Idioms in the Bible Explained and a Key to the Original Gospels" goes far in correcting such errors that have crept into Biblical scholarship. Obscure and difficult passages from both Old and New Testaments are listed and compared with the King James version (though it will be helpful when used with any English version). These make clear the original meaning of such ancient idioms and assure that our grasp of the biblical message is more sound and rewarding.
To further uncover the original teachings of Scripture, "Idioms in the Bible Explained and a Key to the Original Gospels, " Lamsa discusses at greater length such topics as "The Language of Jesus," "Aramaic Phraseology," "The Sayings of Jesus," "Early Translations," and more..
29Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia
30Essential Idioms in English: Phrasal Verbs and Collocations
31Popular English Idioms And Phrases: English Idiomatic Expressions
32Idiom Tales: A Collection of Super-Funny Storybooks That Teach 100+ Must-Know Sayings to Improve Kids' Reading Comprehension, Writing Skills, and More
33Word Bogglers: Visual Words and Idioms
Each word boggler is a word or phrase that has been written so that its meaning is conveyed via the position, number, or size of the words and letters. Some of the puzzles are words while some are familiar idioms and clich�s. Thus, this book brings an opportunity to develop vocabulary and knowledge of often-used phrases in the form of motivating brainteasers.
Each page features six of these visual puzzles. Students analyze the way the words are written (size, position, and direction) to solve each boggler and match it with its definition. A way to further reinforce the understanding of each phrase is to have students use the phrases in a written sentence. You can use these puzzles in a variety of ways, including:
putting them on the overhead for a quick daily thinking challenge,
using them as starting points for daily writing exercises,
using an entire page for a weekly challenge,
forming groups to work together on solving the puzzles,
using them in a learning center, and
having students make up their own puzzles.
Bring Words Bogglers into your classroom today. The result of using these word puzzles is lots of fun, lots of challenge, and increased knowledge of the meaning of common idioms and words.
For more word puzzles, see The World's Greatest Brain Bogglers and Brain Twisters!
Grades 3-6
34Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang
Alex is managing his sister’s lingerie shop when he sees a man worshipping a pair of panties, and it pisses him off. He wants the man to look at him in the same way he looks at that flimsy lingerie. But why would a proper-looking man ever see him as anything other than a failure?
Dear Author,
So I’m a man and I like to wear lace. Sometimes I like to wear leather and lace. Is that such a crime? I don’t want to be dominated, I don’t want to submit, I just want a partner who will look at me and think I’m hotter than the sun. I just want a man who won’t see me as weak because of what I wear under my clothes. But it’s hard enough to find a partner as a gay man; how am I ever going to find one who will enjoy my kink as much as I do? God, I’m so tired of hiding who I am.
Please, no BDSM. The rest is up to you.
Photo Description:
A man is standing with his back to the camera. He is shielding his face with his arm, displaying muscles and strength, but hiding. He is wearing a black garter belt in lace with matching stockings, gloves and a harness in black leather, and nothing else. He is a beautiful contrast of strength and delicacy.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
35Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazards
36Everyday Idioms 2: For Reference and Practice
37Everyday Idioms 1: For Reference and Practice (Everyday Idioms for Reference & Practice) (bk. 1)
38Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie
The colorful trees
Jumping in the leaves
Apples, apples, apples
Warm apple pie
Fun family projects
Amelia Bedelia can't wait. What could be better? Autumn! Hooray for apples and fall!
39Easy Spanish Phrase Book NEW EDITION: Over 700 Phrases for Everyday Use
Over 700 conveniently organized expressions include terms for modern telecommunications as well as phrases related to transportation, shopping, services, medical and emergency situations, and other common circumstances. A phonetic pronunciation accompanies each phrase.
40Scheisse!: The Real German You Were Never Taught in School
41The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms: 12,000 Spanish and English Expressions
With more than 4,000 Spanish expressions arranged by keyword, numerous example sentences, and an extensive index for cross-referencing, you can quickly find phrase-based translations by way of either English or Spanish. Compact and comprehensive, this tool is perfect for a student's backpack or a translator's briefcase.
42Speak Business English Like an American: Learn the Idioms & Expressions You Need to Succeed On The Job! (Book & Audio CD)
43An Idiom Book Of New Testament Greek
44ThePenguin Dictionary of English Idioms by Hinds-Howell, David G. ( Author ) ON Mar-29-2001, Paperback
45English Phrasal Verbs in Use Advanced Book with Answers: Vocabulary Reference and Practice
46500 Common Chinese Idioms: An Annotated Frequency Dictionary
Key features include:
the idiom in both simplified and traditional characters
a literal English translation and English equivalents
two suitable example sentences, plus explanations and usage notes
a Pinyin index and stroke order index.
This practical dictionary is suitable both for class use and independent study and will be of interest to students and teachers of Chinese alike.
47You're Pulling My Leg!: 400 Human-Body Sayings from Head to Toe
48Catch My Breath
You take my breath away.
I need a breath of fresh air.
And how did little white flowers come to be known as Baby's Breath?
Breath is a mystery in more ways than one. And this story is all about breath: losing it, trying to find it, even trying to buy it.
In the imagination of Paul Briggs, a boy's breath becomes personified, and it zooms away through farm, forest, and sea, returning only when the boy least expects it.
49Dictionary of 1000 Chinese Idioms, Revised Edition
50Daily Warm-Ups for Common English Idioms
51English the American Way: A Fun Guide to English Language 2nd Edition
New Second Edition!
A fun guide to everything American for the English language learner!
The warm and witty authors of English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language & Culture in the U.S. are back with a new second edition of this bestselling title.
Featuring updated units on technology and social media, plus all-new fun-filled word-picture matchups, English the American Way is your companion to everyday life in the United States.
Engaging, easy-to-follow chapters highlight important topics in American culture, such as: making friends, getting around, dining out, dealing with money, buying a home, what to do in an emergency, visiting the doctor, handling a job interview, and more.
Our ESL author experts (Sheila MacKechnie Murtha and Jane Airey O'Connor) give English language learners must-know vocabulary, commonly used phrases, wacky idioms, and sample dialogues that illustrate everyday American life. You'll have fun along the way as you improve your English language and grammar skills with sentence completions, quizzes, and helpful tips.
Practice speaking English like an American until you're perfect! Improve your listening and speaking skills with the dialogues included on our audio CD and MP3 download.
English the American Way is an excellent resource for ESL students and teachers, English language learners, and professionals of all ages and all nationalities.
If you're looking for a fun and easy way to improve your English language skills, this is the book for you!
Don't miss the other books in this series… Celebrate the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to English Language and Culture in the U.S and College the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to English Language and Campus Life in the U.S.
52Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms
This entertaining die-cut board book, featuring colorful, adorable art, introduces children to some fun animal idioms. Like a guessing game, each image shows just a part of the creature, with an accompanying rhyme that hints at its identity. Kids turn the page . . . and see which friendly animal fits the bill.
53Little Red Book Idioms and Phrases
54Augustine
Augustine's penguinized versions of van Gogh, Munch, Picasso and others are a delightful way to introduce children to art. A clever, charming story told from a penguin's eye view, Augustine illustrates that art is all around us --- and it is a language everyone understands.
55Dictionary of American Idioms
56Most Comprehensive Origins of Cliches, Proverbs and Figurative Expressions
57You Are What You Eat: and Other Mealtime Hazards
Children might find these sayings puzzling at first. But Bloch's witty and wonderful images, which mix whimsical line drawings with photographs of inanimate objects, make everything clear-and will leave readers of all ages pleased as punch.
58Wordbook of Australian Idiom - Aussie Slang: No Worries! She's Apples!
59Essential American Idioms
60The Big Elephant in the Room
61I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms From Around the World
As author Jag Bhalla demonstrates, these amusing, often hilarious phrases provide a unique perspective on how different cultures perceive and describe the world. Organized by theme—food, love, romance, and many more—they embody cultural traditions and attitudes, capture linguistic nuance, and shed fascinating light on "the whole ball of wax." For example, when English-speakers are hard at work, we’re "nose to the grindstone," but industrious Chinese toil "with liver and brains spilled on the ground" and busy Indians have "no time to die."
If you’re already fluent in 10 languages, you probably won’t need this book, but you’ll "get a kick out of it" anyhow; for the rest of us, it’s a must. Either way, this surprising, often thought-provoking little tome is gift-friendly in appearance, a perfect impulse buy for word lovers, travelers, and anyone else who enjoys looking at life in a riotous, unusual way. And we’re not hanging noodles from your ear.
62101 American English Idioms: Understanding and Speaking English Like an American
63Der Gimmick: Gesprochenes Deutsch
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