Funny.

Commas are the most used and the most MISUSED punctuation mark. This book is a hilarious look at what happens when commas are used incorrectly. The illustrations do a wonderful job of explaining how the meaning changes as the comma moves, but a short grammatical explanation is also included in the back of the book. A simplified version of Truss’s big book by the same name, this book is appropriate for 1-4 grades which is just the age when they are learning about punctuation.

This book is a great way to talk about punctuation, commas specifically. Most middle school students have no idea when or where to use commas and that causes a problem when it comes to their writing. Commas change the whole meaning of a phrase. The famous example is "Let's eat Grandma" and "Let's eat, Grandma". One phrase is promoting cannibalism and one is telling the Grandma to eat. Students need practice with placing commas where they need to do. As a teacher, you can present one or two of these sentences everyday on an entrance/exit ticket so students can practice, and it's a form of assessment to see where your students actually are. Students can also make up their own sentences where a comma changes the entire meaning of the sentence. At the end of the unit the teacher uses this for, students can write a short paper about someone in their life that has changed them, and they will be assessed on the punctuation, specifically commas.

n  Synopsisn: You might want to eat a huge hotdog, but a huge, hot dog would run away pretty quickly if you tried to take a bite out of him. Just look inside to see how forgetting to include a comma or placing one in the wrong spot can completely change the meaning of a sentence--with hilarious consequences.
n  Reviewn: I wish I had had this book when I was in 4th grade (I wish I had had this book when I was in 12th grade). But, I'll tell you what, I'm glad I found it now. It's really a wonderful resource for ol' e.e. cummings lovers like myself who just kind of gave up on punctuation ohhh...somewhere between 4th-12th grade. I'm not going to say that it's all sunk in quite yet. But, I'm using commas more often now and with a bit more confidence than before. Lynne Truss has taken on the most amazing task of making the somewhat "dry" (i.e boring) topic of punctuation and created something of a modern entertainment--- all while making us learn somethin'. That is an admirable talent! Having said that, this book does seem to require a bit of explanation for the younger set. You could spend a good 3-5 minutes on each page reading it aloud and emphasizing the differentiation in meanings of the same sentence depending on where the comma was placed. There is a big difference in the sentence "Eat here, and get gas" as opposed to "Eat here and get gas." Do you know what they are? If not, it's perfectly alright--however, you might want to read this book.
n  Critical Reviewsn:From School Library Journal, "
While a title on grammar may need hand selling, both read-aloud audiences and independent readers will discover the potent possibilities of punctuation." From Booklist, "children will find themselves gaining an instinctive understanding of the "traffic signals of language."

This was fun to read with my granddaughters, and they quickly caught on to the use of commas. The pictures are hilarious!

This was HILARIOUS. The illustrative style wasn’t my favorite.

As a homeschooler I love educational yet engaging picture books. My 2nd grader is not a kid who takes well to formal lessons or having his work corrected, and he is just starting to do some creative writing of his own accord, so I don't want to ruin it by correcting his work. This book had him laughing hysterically and he totally understood how the comma placement changed the meanings. The author has two other similar books called The Girl's Like Spaghetti and Twenty-Odd Ducks.

My kids loved this book.

Reviewed this version with my Comp II students in class today. A few light bulbs clicked on as we discussed the differences between the phrases on each spread. The visualizing really helped them.

Such a good book to show the power of commas, I can’t believe I’ve only just found this book. I’m very excited to use this with my year 5s and am especially grateful that at the back they also explain each use of commas which helps me if i’m struggling to understand one.

Read it. Go ahead It will take you all of five minutes. You'll laugh and you'll learn stuff.

But read the full version too. You'll learn more.

What if one day when you wake up, God disintegrate all the commas in the world even erase it inside the mind of all the people living inside this small spherical world called Earth, and God only give you one copy of Lynne Truss’ book, Eats, Shoots & Leaves to survive. Can you help the commas survive or you will be one of those people who are planning to dominate the world by commas? Be one of us, be the Comma Fighters.

It is very hard to accept that commas are one of the most used and most easily misplaced punctuation marks ever invented in grammar. Every comma really do make a difference! Swear, I’m not joking. Imagine this situation, when you woke up you heard your husband asking you “What is this thing called honey?” While pointing to a stuff comma and you imagine him asking about honey because without comma, the word honey is the object of called.

Such a shame that everything will turn into hell when everyone talking straight without commas. This simple and very child-loving picture book of grammar is a very useful tool for everyone to learn. No age limit and even kids will enjoy the funny upside down scenes when you saw your grandma jumping with you and your friends or you ask a very large, hot dog in summer because of your comma carelessness.

In this book, Truss, show cases this book to children to teach them basic comma usage in a very carefree way. No need to read a whole chapter of comma in your English textbook or ask your scary old teacher on how to use it. This tool is a very good supplement for kids and teachers who have hard time learning in a very boring atmosphere, especially me. To survive, we have to use comma or else people will kill you indirectly by throwing wrong manipulated sentences.

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n  Last time I posted about the reading sutra in which both readers (girl and boy) have to do some basic position to enjoy reading with partners. Now, the commas have to enjoy it too in a very full blast and making grammar sexy! Yummy! Don't mistook this with coma patients.n

Review posted on n  Old-Fashioned Readern.

Rating: Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference! by Lynne Truss and Bonnie Timmons (Illustrator), 4 Sweets

Challenges:
Book #207 for 2011
Book #21 for Read to Me - Picture Book Challenge