Anna Analyst

On the last day of elementary school, eleven-year-old Anna finds a leather-bound book about handwriting analysis. Anna could use help deciphering people. Her best friend has started wearing mascara and plans to spend the summer with a more fashionable classmate. And her parents threaten to give away her tortoises just because she’s a little forgetful about taking care of the sick one.Why does everyone expect Anna to change before middle school starts? She’sgoing to stay exactly the same. After all, large loopy letters, like Anna’s, showshe’s perceptive and generous. It’s everyone else’s sloppy writing that is so hard to understand. But a mysterious note forces Anna to make a choice between her graphology obsession and the people — and tortoises — she cares about the most.

"Bossy, inventive Anna is authentic and endearing. Her dilemmas and struggles -- especially when her creative solutions breed new problems -- are convincing, at once familiar and freshA droll, deftly executed debut. -- Kirkus Reviews, Anna is a relatable heroine Highly Recommended, CM Reviews, Patti Edgars lighthearted debut novel perfectly captures all the difficulties and dramas of the early middle school years. Anna is a refreshingly complex character; her often misguided endeavors lead to one predicament after another and will resonate with middle grade readers. Full of heartbreak and humor, Anna, Analyst charmed me from start to finish. Tara Gilboy, author of Unwritten and Rewritten, A funny, insightful book about what its like to be on the precipice of middle school, when you know who you are but not necessarily how you fit. Fair warning: You may never look at your own handwriting, or tortoises (not turtles), the same way. Craig Battle, author of the Camp Average series"

Patti Edgar is a writer and educator driven by curiosity and a desire to make the difficult easier to understand. A former journalist, she now teaches aspiring young reporters in Calgary. An essay on her struggles to learn a second language was recently published in the anthology Waiting (University of Alberta Press). Ms. Edgar holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.