“Smile!!”

From Raina Telgemeier’s Smile.

Like every sixth grade student on earth, Raina just wants to be normal enough to fit in with her classmates, and she’s able to pull that feat off fairly well until a stumble lands her in braces, headgear, oral surgeries, and fake teeth.  The next four years are filled with an abundance of pain for Raina, both physical and social, but she tries to move herself forward in an attempt to salvage her normalcy.  Life at home is mostly uplifting for Raina, but the constant teasing that Raina experiences from those claiming to be her friends, wears down on the young girl.  Stuck between a rock and a hard place with her friends and her happiness, Raina makes moves to surround herself with people that will build her up as she tries to navigate her way through her dental adventures and search for self-worth.

This story uses a variety of elements to create a fast-moving, but engaging biographical adventure.  Telgemeier’s illustrations are crisp and fun, making the wide variety of characters captivating for the reader.  The main character’s feelings and struggles are genuine and can sometimes be difficult to witness for various reasons, but the author does well to make sure it is never overwhelming.  This graphic novel will appeal to a wide range of readers, and regardless of age, readers will find Smile impossible to put down.