Tutor profile: Sarah W.

Please demonstrate why punctuation is important.

a) The panda eats shoots and leaves. b) The panda eats, shoots and leaves. The first informs the reader that the panda eats both shoots and leaves (nouns). The second implies that after eating, the panda shoots something (action verb), then leaves.

How have children’s interests changed or remained the same in regards to books containing multicultural characters or themes?

Going from working in a primarily “white” area to a primarily Black & Hispanic area, I had thought the kids’ interests would differ. I was wrong. Especially with K-5th grades- they just like what they like, and what is popular (which is Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries). This does tend to change as they get older, though- I’m thinking of the Bluford High series, etc. One area I guess I have seen a huge change in children’s interests is in Japanese Manga. That seems to have its own subculture here. And the kids LOVE it. And now that I think about it more, with the REALLY little kids- the TV shows featuring multicultural characters (Dora, Diego, Kai Lin, etc) mean they ask for those books more.

There is much symbolism in Steinbeck's 'The Grapes of Wrath.' Please choose one example and expand on it.

There is much symbolism in the Grapes of Wrath, particularly of Biblical nature. One such example is that of Connie Rivers- Rose of Sharon's young husband. After suffering with the Joad family's plight for a stretch, he abandons/betrays them as Judas Iscariot did Christ in the Bible.