Parents' Guide to Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference

Even kids who are too young to have an interest in punctuation will like the funny pictures, like the woman who bounces right out of her seat on the page that reads, "Eat here and get gas." Readers who want a more detailed explanation can flip to the back where a handy chart explains how comma placement changes meaning.

Lynne Truss refocused her best-selling adult book, which shares the same main title, to make it accessible to young readers. Kids may walk away from this book understanding the important way a simple thing like a comma can make or break a sentence -- or they may just get a few good laughs. Truss alters a sentence, placing one version on a page and another version -- with different comma use -- on the opposite. page Commas are highlighted in red for quick identification, and the book's simple, silly drawings help kids figure out how the sentences have changed.