“Sliding in on a shrimp sandwich’’ is one of about 50 phrases Ella Frances Sanders explains in her new book “The Illustrated Book of Sayings: Curious Expressions from Around the World’’ (Ten Speed). The Swedish expression is the equivalent of “being born with a silver spoon in your mouth.’’ Sanders keeps her explanations light and brief so that in turning pages the most salient sense is that of colorful expressions washing over you, such as the Japanese “even monkeys fall from trees,’’ the Spanish “you are my orange half,’’ and the Arabic “some days honey, some days onion.’’

JAN GARDNER