<DIV><p>Out of the Blue shows children the magic of idioms – words that separately have one meaning, but together take on something entirely different.<BR> Children are curious about words, especially phrases that make them laugh (“Tickled Pink”), sound silly (“Shrinking Violet”) or trigger images that tickle a child's sense of the absurd (“A Red Letter Day”).<BR> Out of the Blue uses outlandish illustrations of what the words describe literally. The reader then has to guess the “real” meaning of the phrases (which are upside down in the corners of each spread). At the end of the book, the reader is invited to learn more about these figures of speech.<BR> Our first book of idioms, Birds of a Feather (2009), dealt with birds, insects or animals. Our second, Life is a Bowl Full of Cherries (2011) uses food idioms. Out of the Blue uses color idioms. All three are fun – and instructive.</p></DIV>