I have not seen Peach Fuzz published in the newspaper but I have the
Anime Book published by TOKYOPOP written by Lindsay Cibos and Jared
Hodges.  I picked my copy up at a Books-a-Million last year.  You can
find it in the section where they keep the Anime Graphic books like
Dragon Ball Z, Full Metal, Gundam Wing, Yu-Gi-Oh and others Graphics
books.  In the copy I picked up it stated Vol. #1.  Here is a bit
from the author taken from the web site
http://animeguyholand.web.aplus.net/peachfuzz.html
 
The Biting Terror
People who know me can readily tell you how much I love ferrets.  I have
three of them running about my home and think they are the greatest of
pets, which naturally drew my attention to this book.  Peach Fuzz, an
American manga, tells the story of one particularly ferocious ferret and
the young girl who owns her in a fun, whimsical manner that is sure to
appeal to a broad audience...
 
Story
Nine year old Amanda wants a pet.  Amanda's mom, Meagan, is a single
mother on a fairly tight budget who works as a real estate agent, but
eventually gives in and takes her daughter to the local pet store to
pick out a companion.  As Amanda looks about, the fish, mice, hamsters
and other common pets just seem boring.  Then she lays eyes on the
ferret cage and decides she has found the perfect furry pal.  She selects
a female and names her Peach, due to the softness of her fur which is
similar to peach fuzz.
 
Unfortunately, Peach has no intention of becoming anybody's pet.  In
fact, this little fireball fancies herself as the princess of the ferret
kingdom, deserving of all others' respect and loyalty.  Instead of
viewing Amanda as a friend, all Peach sees is a five headed dragon
named Handra, which is of course the little girl's hand.
 
So begins the adventures of Peach Fuzz, a charming little story full of
imagination.  By far the best aspects to the book are the segments which
tell the story from Peach's perspective, which feature a great deal of
imagination.  I love how Peach views herself as some sort of gladiator
battling the evil Handra and its minions, whisked away from her castle
and doomed to live as a slave.  I also really like how Amanda gives
Peach a stuffed animal, who the ferret immediately views as her faithful
subject.  The silent companion is named Mr Fuzzy and becomes her loyal
friend, even though she is far too proud to ever admit it aloud.
 
The human characters are also fun, including a bizarre vet who knows
little to nothing about ferrets and likes to overcharge his customers.
The guy who works at the pet shop is also amusing, a funky young guy who
loves animals and has a real knack for sending his customers home with
much more than they need.  The book also does a great job of taking a
humorous look at the more destructive traits of ferrets and their funny
personalities, as well as the general responsibilities that come with
owning a pet.
 
To be sure, Peach Fuzz is aimed more towards a female audience, but the
book will easily be enjoyed by all animal lovers or anyone looking for a
bit of light hearted fun.  There's lots of personality, creativity and
humor through these pages to keep you very amused.  I look forward to the
further adventures of Peach and give this book a solid recommendation.
 
Peace
Wendy
Harmony House
[Posted in FML issue 5118]