I thought that this book was brilliant!

The book gives the meanings and origins behind 100 chosen sayings and phrases - some of them I knew of already but some were new to me and that made the book even more interesting!

I really liked this one and my daughter loved learning from this book too. She has been telling her Nanny and Grandad some of the meanings that she has found out - great book for children that have an interest in the English language.

The illustrations that accompany the book are great and add to it too.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

Spill the Beans is filled with 100 phrases and saying we hear on a daily basis. Filled with colourful illustrations for each idiom.
The book is split into various sections such as nature, body and animals so the reader can read the book as a whole or skip to the section of their choice.
The explanations for each idiom is clear and easy to understand. Each one has the backstory to it with a lighthearted approach.
A must have for the school library

The cat is out of the bag – this has been put to bed quite well. Each page is more or less a hole in one, with a bright and colourful illustration of what is happening in the term or idiom, a sentence detailing precisely what it means, so you are not looking for explanations like they're a needle in a haystack, and a touch more writing to discuss the source and wordplay and true meaning of everything. Some of it is a touch woolly – it doesn't discuss why an opera singer facing the audience with the orchestra between her and them is facing the music as we think of the phrase now (as in owning up to something) – but that's par for the course. Without sounding like a stuck record, this is a success. A healthy four stars – almost as healthy as a fit fiddle.

Spill the Beans I predict will be a hit in my KS2 classroom! 100 sayings or phrases are explained, first in terms of what the idiom means and then where the phrase came from. Split into the following sections: Food, Animals, Nature, Weather and Body, this book will be of interest to many readers. Perfect to 'dip in and out of' my children will adore learning new facts. Bright, enticing illustrations are on every page and I loved spotting the idioms on the cover.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant! I love it! This book clearly and simply explains some of the strange phrases and sayings we use every day. The bright and bold illustrations cleverly support the text, which explains what a phrase means, provides examples of its use and gives the origins of it. This book is an absolute must for any school library or classroom.

In a Nutshell: A splendid compilation of a hundred idioms and their origins. Loved the light-hearted approach to something so educational. Much recommended to students and adult word nerds. (à la moi!)

Of all the things that can be challenging in a language, idioms are somewhere right at the top. Idioms are never literal, so guessing their meanings is often a tiresome task, not just for learners but also native speakers. More importantly, idioms cannot be translated into or from other languages. (This is something a few authors need to learn! It is annoying to see BIPOC authors butcher their native-language idioms by translating them word-to-word into English.) As such, the best way to learn idioms is to have a resource to provide you with a wide list of common idioms and their meanings in an interesting presentation that makes learning appealing. This book fits that niche requirement perfectly.

The 100 idioms and sayings in this book are divided into ten easy sections such as food, animals, music, clothing, and so on. Each page contains one idiom/saying, its meaning in detail, and its origin, and at times, mentioning similar idioms from other languages. In some cases, where the meaning sprung up from a myth or a superstition, that is also mentioned. Wherever there is a word that means one thing in the UK and something else in the US, that is also clarified.

Each idiom is also accompanied by an illustration that represents its meaning literally. This text-image combination works excellently, as the sketches, the meaning and the etymology all work in sync to ensure that the correct interpretation of the idiom stays in our heads.

As a word nerd, I already knew most of the idioms and many of their origin stories. So it was a pleasant surprise to discover some of the more obscure sources that gave rise to some commonplace idioms, many of whose origins we don’t even think twice about. So many ordinary idioms had extraordinary beginnings – it’s amazing!

The cover also does its job brilliantly. There are seventeen idioms hidden within the cover graphics. The answers are mentioned at the start of the book. This is a fun way of setting the mood and motivating youngsters to try out something that wouldn’t typically appeal to them.

When I asked my daughters if they wanted to buddy-read an idiom book with me, both of them refused outright. But when they saw me looking at the cover and working out the idioms, they joined in the guessing game and then sat with me till the end. When I reminded them of how they had refused to join me at first, the honest answer was, “We never knew an English book would be so much fun. Most English books are boring!” Well, Collins Kids, you satisfied two very demanding little readers here - kudos!

In short, the three of us enjoyed this interesting collection, learning such varied idioms and how they entered the English language.

Definitely recommended! This entertaining + educational book would be a useful resource for students as well as learners. The writing makes it a great option for tweens and teens, and of course, to adults who want to become the bee’s knees of their peer group.

5 stars.

My thanks to Collins Reference for providing the DRC of “Spill the Beans: 100 silly sayings and peculiar phrases” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I really enjoyed this and found myself chuckling as I read through the different sections. What a lovely way to discover the stories behind the origins of some much-loved and well-used sayings. A lovely book for adults and children to share together.

Spill the Beans is such a charming book! There are a multitude of idioms to discover and learn about within the pages of this book. From sayings about food to sports, this one has them all. If you ever wondered when or why people started using a particular saying to describe something, I highly recommend picking up this book. I love all of the historical facts that are included, along with the beautiful images. Definitely a perfect gift for kids!

**NetGalley Feedback Review: Spill the Beans by Collins Kids**

**Rating: 5/5 stars**

*Spill the Beans* by Collins Kids is an absolute delight! This beautifully illustrated book, brought to life by Julia Murray's playful and vibrant artwork, is a treasure trove of 100 silly sayings and peculiar phrases that will captivate curious kids and adults alike.

From the whimsical explanations behind phrases like "spill the beans" to the fascinating origins of sayings such as "raining cats and dogs," this book offers a charming and educational journey through the quirks of the English language. Each phrase is accompanied by a delightful illustration that adds an extra layer of fun and engagement, making the meanings and stories behind the sayings easy to understand and remember.

One of the standout features of *Spill the Beans* is how it balances entertainment with education. It not only explains what these idioms mean but also delves into the strange and often amusing stories behind them. This approach is perfect for young readers who constantly ask "why?" and are eager to learn more about the world around them.

The book's layout is user-friendly, making it an excellent gift for kids who are always eager to expand their vocabulary and knowledge. It's also a fantastic resource for parents and educators looking to introduce children to the richness of the English language in a fun and engaging way.

Additionally, *Spill the Beans* pairs wonderfully with *A Word a Day: 365 Words for Curious Minds*, offering a comprehensive and entertaining linguistic adventure that will keep readers intrigued all year round.

Overall, *Spill the Beans* is a must-have for any young linguist's bookshelf. Its combination of silly sayings, intriguing explanations, and captivating illustrations makes it a standout addition to any child's library. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo Chapters for providing this wonderful book for review.

I love how this book features such adorable illustration to explain the idioms to children. It is definitely one to keep.

Aw, this is an excellent book, which is well-designed and is built on an excellent idea of explaining some weird idioms and phrases.

The pictures incorporating the text are either funny or cute (well, sometimes both).

You know what this book is especially great for besides everyone and all children, our lovely neurodiverse children who sometime have a hard time understanding the meanings of bizarre idioms and where they came from (because, they can take things literally, and many idioms do not make much sense).

Amazing.