Customer Reviews

Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink (The Professionals)

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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 [...]

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 [...]

Most eleven-year-olds are trying to deal with starting middle school. Anna Smudge is Manhattan's top psychiatrist. "Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink" follows Anna as she gets her start as a child psychiatrist - not a psychiatrist specializing in children, but a psychiatrist that is a child. She finds in her sessions that all is not easy for life as a prodigy, confronting blackmailers, difficult patients, covered-up government conspiracies, and way too much homework for any child to handle. Fortunately, she has her friends to support her! "Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink" is deftly written and highly recommended for community library young adult fiction collections.

ANNA SMUDGE: PROFESSIONAL SHRINK
MAC / (GLENN FABRY-ILLUSTRATOR)

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Eleven-year-old Anna Smudge has a talent for listening to others. She's so good that she ends up getting tons of requests for her services from nutty New Yorkers.

But Anna has her own problems: a school bully who taunts her daily, parents who are too busy to notice her, and being blackmailed into doing someone else's homework. On top of this is the criminal mastermind Mr. Who, who is terrorizing New York. But he's only a rumor, right?

Anna, along with her sixth grade friends, set out to find Mr. Who and stop him from doing any more harm. Anna needs to do this soon. Her father's life depends on it.

ANNA SMUDGE is a fun tale that is sure to be a hit. Anna is a modern day Nancy Drew/ Dr. Phil, using her talent of listening to help solve not only others' problems but to help find the mysterious Mr. Who. Anna's friends each have a profession-chef, crime sketch artist, and more. They use their skills to help find Mr. Who. It's refreshing to have characters that don't all want to be models, rock stars, and/or actors.

The illustrations are fun and catchy. The whole comic book crossover is sure to attract fans as well as appeal to the reluctant reader. The only problem I had with this story is it ended too soon. I can't wait for book 2-Quenton Cohen: Professional Chef which is scheduled for a May 2009 release.

I showed this book to some eleven-year-olds who summed up how I felt about this book in one word. Wow!

MAC (aka Melissa A. Calderone) is a freelance writer for Popular Science Magazine. She has interviewed NASA scientists and covered topics ranging from asteroids to weapons design. Born and raised in Manhattan, MAC first started writing ANNA SMUDGE on the back of dozens of dupe pads while waiting tables at a downtown diner.

Check out www.Annasmudge.com and www.WhoisMrWho.com

Kim Rapier
Enchanting Reviews

Anna Smudge immediately drew me, and though I am eager to make my way through the whole book, I know that I'm going to be completely despondent until #2 comes out. Not since Harry Potter have I been this excited about a series -- MAC can't write fast enough for my eager ears.

I'm an elementary school teacher in Southern California and I highly recommend Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink for boys and girls in the middle-grades. The book kept my students entertained with a great mystery plot and the terrific characters, as well as twelve fabulous illustrations that bring each character to life! I also love the fact that the main characters are kids who have real professions - this book not only gets my students reading, but also dreaming of things they can achieve in their own lives. I can already see some budding shrinks, chefs, and artists emerging from my class this very year. Even I, the teacher, was entertained and inspired by little Anna Smudge.

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.

It's rare when a book can blend the perfect amount of action, adventure, humor, and true inspiration. This book is just that. The world the author MAC paints within these pages is brimming with energy and excitement..not to mention a dose of mystery. The villainous characters are like something from a Roald Dahl story: fun, twisted, bad, but not truly evil (except for the main bad guy). Kids will certainly enjoy and relate to, the book's protagonist, Anna, and her group of friends. They make up a band of "superheroes", THE PROFESSIONALS, as they use their real-world professions to help save the day. I certainly don't want to spoil the fun, but with more books planned in this series of The Professionals, I cannot wait to see where it goes. Who is Mr. Who? Ya gotta read it to find out!! What worthwhile fun this is! Thanks MAC!