Peach fuzz

Gr 3-5-Nine-year-old Amanda wants only one thing: a pet ferret. Her mother is horrified but has no substantial argument against the animal, and the one Amanda picks out is adorable-peacefully sleeping, furry, and snuggling. When Peach awakens, however, she's far less agreeable than she seemed. She is convinced that Amanda's eager hand is a five-headed dragon (called a handra), determined to torture her. In self-defense, therefore, she feels that she must fight and bite it into submission. It seems that the two will never understand one another, though they eventually reach a truce. The alternating points of view humorously complement one another. Peach pictures herself as a princess in peril, deserted by her loyal subjects, tormented by the handra. The art cleverly splits the two worlds; it shifts into a kind of mock fantasy world for Peach's side complete with fluttering princess veils and a brick-walled dungeon. The handra is both funny and horrifying, but the plot suffers, having no real trajectory; by the time Amanda and Peach reach a compromise, some of the jokes have worn thin. Still, sweet art and likable characters go a long way in making this an enjoyable title.-Sarah Couri, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.