I'm All Thumbs!

April 15, 2011
Grades 1-3 Four new books in the Sayings and Phrases series continue to highlight the English languages most delightful (and confusing) quirks. The books are fairly interchangeable and eschew any overarching organizing principle (save that the upwards of 30 idioms in each book are presented in alphabetical order), presenting one or two sayings per page along with a quickie story snippet using the phrases in context and giving explanations of meaning. Off to the side, Gallagher-Coles cartoon illustrations present each idiom in a wrong-headedly literal fashion that should generate plenty of giggles. Im All Thumbs! contains chestnuts like the big cheese, the cream of the crop, and hot off the press. Youd think this series would run out of steam at some point, but its longevity and usefulness point to just how idiomatic this wacky language of ours is. A no-brainer for English-language learners, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)