Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink

I can't tell you how much I LOVED this book. Not only was the writing smart and laugh out loud funny, but it kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. The genius is it the book completely works for both kids and adults.

"Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink" is filled with richly-developed characters, each of whom has his own unique personality and interests. The plot takes you on a wild ride and keeps you interested and intensely curious to the last page. We are giving copies to every young person we know as well as recommending it to the young at heart. Can't wait for the sequels.

What an absolutely wonderful,as well as inspirational, brilliantly written book. Never a dull moment or boring part in the entire book. Very difficult to choose a favorite "character" as they are all so different and so easy to love. A story with portions that many "tweens" can relate to their own experiences. Keeps you reading until you can finish then awaiting the next book. A definite must-have for anyone who loves to read and loves a great story. Can't wait until the next one follows.

Title: Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink Publisher: Toasted Coconut Media Writer: MAC Artist: Glenn Fabry Price: $[...] US Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Comments: Anna Smudge is an eleven-year-old who happens to be involved with Mr. Who the newest crime boss in Manhattan. Anna is a shrink and she has decided to help capture this new crime boss if he truely exists. From the start Anna is presented yes as a young girl but also one with a attitude of serious professionalism. Her mind is always working. Greg Horn does the cover art here and Anna is illustrated as a cute smart girl. You can see the intelligence in her eyes. The style of writing immediately draws you in. Once you start reading you will not want to put this book down. The young star of this book Anna comes across easily as a very lovable person. Her competence is brought across by the characters surrounding her. Not since Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys or Encyclopedia Brown has a young detective so captivated her audience. The interier art is eye catching. Even in black and white it jumps out at you. The characters are drawn with an off beat look that has a weird style. The story has its funny and entertaining moments. It is definitely amusing. The story though also has a serious note. Bullying can be a problem in school. Children, tweens, teens and even adults should not have to suffer this. It is degrading. Mr. Who is a mysterious figure he stays hidden while running his criminal activities. Everyone who comes in contact with him fears him. His presence is not seen but it certainly is felt. The mix of school life and criminal activity is blended smoothly together. Anna is such a sweet and adorable girl. All her friends are so interesting. You cannot help but be drawn into Anna's life. The suspense and tenion build as we race towards the ending. Surprises await you within this book. The basic story though is about friendship and family. It has lots of excitement and at times is fast paced. But it is the basic characters who will steal your heart away and one little girl in particular. [...] Richard Vasseur [...]

I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting author MAC at NY Comic Con on 4/19/08. Now that I've read this book, I won't be the least bit surprised if it and its forthcoming companions become a string of tremendous hits. After MAC laid out the book's basic premise for me, and I checked out the amazing cover art by Greg Horn and interior art by Glenn Fabry, I had to buy the book. And I'm VERY glad I did. Initially, I was reading to see if the story would be age appropriate for my 8 and 10 year old daughters. And it is (the book is recomended for 10 and up, but my 8 year old is an advanced reader). However, it wasn't long before I found myself completely sucked in -- really liking Anna and her growing band of friends (and patients), really disliking school bullies Jacob and Roselyn, and really wanting to find out how it was all going to unfold. The promotional material for this book says something about MAC's writing being somewhere on the line between slightly disturbing and hilarious. I couldn't have put it better. There are plenty of laughs along the way in this book. The writing is sharp, crisp, clean and very accessible, the pacing is excellent, and the interior design and illustrations are awesome. When my daughters and I are finished reading Prince Caspian, my wife will be joining us in reading Anna Smudge, Professional Shrink together. Buy this book. MAC and Toasted Coconut Media are doing very cool and very high quality work. I can't wait to see what they do next...Anthony Annucci, Live Body Productions, LLC [...]