This is a true surprise; a near-great strip that I had never heard of or seen before buying this book on a hunch. The title character, Heart, is an 8-year old girl of precocious intellect and immense joi de vivre, and charm and humor to boot. She lives in an apartment building in Philadelphia with her divorced mother, whom she occasionally tries to set up, even though the two are quite happy together as is. More than anything else, the art and humor here remind me of "Calvin and Hobbes", only without Hobbes, a bit less misanthropic main character, and a much better relationship with her Mom. This is a wonderful strip, unique, charming and funny, with a nice sense of the affection that runs between mother and daughter, while never getting sappy. ( )