Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Raina just wants to have fun with her friends and be a normal kid. But when a freak accident causes her to lose her front teeth, she ends up with a seemingly endless parade of braces, retainers, operations, and embarrassment. Her friends aren't much help, either, making fun of her and teasing her - but she doesn't like it anymore. Add in an earthquake and Raina's world won't just seem turned upside-down - it actually is!

I loved this book. I never had braces, so even though I couldn't physically relate to the pain Raina was going through, this book made me wince along with her. I loved the colourful art style, the way that Raina Telgemeier draws and styles characters, the message about self-esteem and friendship, and the family relationship between Raina and her parents as well as with her siblings. I was familiar with her style through the Graphix adaptations of the Baby-Sitters Club series, but I really think that this is a great breakout for her, and I hope this is a book that many, many people read.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin and Raina Telgemeier
Smile by John A. Rowe
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern
Coping with Braces and Other Orthodontic Work by Jordan Lee