An Apple a Day: 25 Surprisingly Universal Idioms & Their Origins

A colorful, cross-cultural journey through the world's most familiar idioms--and how they connect us.

Meet the boldly colorful and charming backstory of familiar colloquialisms from some of the most-spoken languages--compared and contrasted in English, Italian, Spanish, and French. This beautifully illustrated and engaging idioms and phrases book shows how different cultures express the same idea in surprisingly similar--or wildly different--ways.

Perfect for language learners, this book connects idioms to their equivalents in your native or target language. For ESL students or those learning English, Spanish, Italian, or French, seeing all four languages together makes idioms easier to remember, compare, and truly understand.

From timeless sayings like "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" to lesser-known expressions with fascinating backstories, each idiom is explained with its cultural origin, meaning, and linguistic evolution. The result is a delightful blend of language learning, trivia, and world culture.

Perfect gift for language learners, world travelers, expats, teachers, and anyone who loves the quirky, witty nature of everyday expressions.

Inside you'll find:

• 25 popular idioms expressed in English, Spanish, Italian, and French
• The surprising origins and history behind each saying
• Side-by-side translations that make learning intuitive and memorable
• Colorful illustrations that bring each idiom to life
• A fun, highly giftable package for language lovers

Whether you're improving your English, exploring how other cultures see the world, or simply love language and all its quirks, linguist Michela Tartaglia offers a passport to the weird, witty world of words we live by.

Author: Michela Tartaglia
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
Published: 01/06/2026
Pages: 144
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 7.60h x 6.30w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9781632176189

About the Author
MICHELA TARTAGLIA is a native Italian, born in the province of Turin, Piedmont. She moved to Seattle for a sabbatical year in 2006 after completing her master's degree in philosophy at Alma Mater Studiorum--University of Bologna, and has since made Seattle her adopted city. Her passion for linguistics and languages is captured in her first book An Apple a Day, first published in Italy by Nomos Edizioni. She cofounded Pasta Casalinga, an intimate lunch spot in the heart of Pike Place Market. Her recipes for Pasta Casalinga inspired her second book, the cookbook Pasta for All Seasons. She lives in Seattle with her two daughters, Viola Rosa and Eva Luna.

DANIELE SIMONELLI is a full-time freelance illustrator based in the eternal city of Rome, from where he has fought against the use of clipart for ten years and counting, and has created work for editorial, advertising, and design industries with international clients.