Peach Fuzz (Vol 1)

Cibos, Lindsay and Hodges, Jared. Peach Fuzz (Vol 1). Los Angeles : Tokyopop, 2005.

Plot: Nine-year-old Amanda gets the opportunity to have her own pet. Determined to find the most exotic pet available. She finds a ferret, which seems to meet her standards, despite its tendency to nip. However, her pet, Peach, quickly reveals she has an agenda of her own. The ferret, convinced she is royalty, immediately escapes and claims the household as her own. Eventually, the ferret's demands overwhelm her owner. Amanda must face her own fears and responsibilities if she wants to become friends with Peach.

Genre: Animals, Manga, Coming of Age

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Van Von Helsing, Hamtaro, Tama and Friends

Personal Thoughts: The novel is an example of an English-Language manga. English-Language mangas tend to be absolutely loved or absolutely hated by manga fans. Simply described, this variation of manga is written in English, but presented in the Japanese manga style. Personally, I think the saga of Peach and Amanda would not work in another medium. Text-based formats would shatter the story completely. Even traditional comic books would not convey the over-the-top emotions and situations quite as well as asymmetrical format and emoticon-based art in manga. So, while the genre will always have its critics, it also seems to have its place in storytelling.

The manga began as a 17-page winner of Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga competition. The comic also appeared briefly in North American newspapers in 2005.