Summary: When I write a book I hope it will satisfy kids as much as I know this one will. It was great fun.

Anna Smudge – Professional Shrink is one of the cooliest books I’ve read in a long time. Anna is a middle-school girl who doesn’t really know what she’s good at till she gets in trouble. She ends up talking to a guidance counselor who convinces her she’s good at listening to and helping others. She decides to become an 11 year old shrink…”uh, therapist”, and starts getting many clients, including one who is a hit man hired to kill someone very important.

For a children’s book, Anna Smudge – Professional Shrink had some pretty adult situations. What I mean by that is the book put the main character in real situations, even if they were scary or “mature”. This caught me off guard at first, but I liked it. I found the book very easy to read; I breezed threw it in a couple days. Every chapter had something exciting in it and really kept my interest.

The characters satisfied me more than I expected they would. Each one was different but believable enough to care about. My favorite was Donny “The Meatball” Fratelli, an interesting bad guy but not completely one-sided. Author MAC showed Donny’s personality changing and made it flow.

The graphic art by DC/Marvel comic artist Glenn Fabry, colorized by Sean Ellery, was excellent, and really added to the story and intensity of the characters. Popular cover artist Greg Horn will have kids grabbing it at Barnes & Noble. Check out the characters images below:

Click to enlarge

The plot seems well thought out and it all seemed to fit together in the end. I really dug the way she structured the chapters, counting down to the conclusion. Several times I thought, “Hmm. I think I know what might happen”, but was then surprised how things turned out. It was fun trying to figure out each mystery. I didn’t just read this book, I participated. I was surprised with the ending, and I am looking forward to the next book in the "Professionals" series by MAC.

Recommend for: 10 - 14 years old.

Summary: An amazing story from chapter 1 to the end, with surprises along the way.

I just finished Ender's Game, and it was one of my favorite books as soon as I read the first chapter. The story involves a six year old boy, Ender, who is being prepared to save the human race through leadership, cunning, and out-thinking a fearsome alien race. Most of the story takes place in Battle School, where Ender must learn to fight better than any human ever has, even when all the odds continue to be stacked against him. Card combined battle smarts, psychology, and an unforgettable hero to create a completely original novel.

Card's characters were incredibly believable. He combined situations of real people, a world war, and manipulative teachers, while making it extremely interesting. The details of battle school were excellent. The words he uses to describe things makes you think this place really exists, or this situation really occurred. Ender’s Game is a wondrous tale of willpower, knowledge, mercy, wrath, deceit and much more. It is a must read.

Author Orson Scott Card completely astonished me with this book. It has opened me up to reading more of his books, and reading in general. It showed me that when you pick up a book, you never really know what you’re in for. Ender's Game was the winner of both the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards for the best science fiction novel of its time.


Recommend for: 11 - 18 years old.

Summary: Great fun with a touch of weird.


What I liked: Whales on Stilts is a very creative story. Three kids from familiar detective books are the stars: Jasper Dash - the Boy Technonaut, Katie Mulligan of the Horror Hollows series, and Lily Gefilte. Together they help each other to stop a plot by the boss of Lily’s dad, who is a whale-human hybrid. He is secretly plotting to take over the world with an army of giant whales on stilts (with heat-vision!). The book is an easy read, with lots of humor. If you liked Lemony Snicket’s books, you might like Whales on Stilts.

Didn't like: This book might be trying a little too hard to be funny, but in places I thought it was hilarious.

Recommend for: 5 – 11 years old.

Summary: Great story writing and dark, mysterious fun.


What I liked: This book is about a girl named, yes, May Bird. She falls into a lake, which is actually a portal to another realm. A realm with ghosts, ghouls, and demons. Overrun by an evil spirit, the Ever After is slowly falling into danger. Read this intruiging story, and the many adventures of Ether to find the Book of the Dead, which holds the future to the universe and her way back home.

May Bird and the Ever After is also filled with a lot of lovable and despicable characters, but rememberable all the same. Such as Pumpkin, Alister, and of course, Somber Kitty. A uniquely fun story that you won’t find every day; it compells you to turn every page. A time passer that will make you want to pass the time with.


Didn't like: In some parts you start to think its getting to dark and gloomy, but then something shocking happens. Every chapter! There’s nothing really bad about this book in my opinion.

Additional: Great descriptive writing that is easy to read at the same time.


Recommend for: All ages, mostly young teens.

Summary:
One of the best how to draw books ever.

What I liked: This book really shows you how to draw comics the Marvel way. It shows you how to draw with solid

shadows, blended shadows, defined muscles, you name it, and you can draw it. I guarantee when you're done with this book, your comic

skills will be increased ten-fold.

Didn't like: I didn’t find anything wrong with this book. All pros’s for the pros. :)

Additional: My dad also has used this book and agrees with me completely that this is an outstanding book. Below are some pages from the book, and a drawing of mine after reading it. Click on a photo for a larger image.

	Plenty of pages showing how to start from lines and geometric shapes, and working towards a shaped and active character.
	From the chapter on foreshortening, to give perspective to your active characters.
	Stan shows you how to draw heads from every possible angle.
	This is one of the drawings I made after reading the book. It is not traced!

Recommend for: All ages interested in drawing comics, or just drawing.