Smile

Telgemeier, Raina. Smile. Copyright 2010, Scholastic Graphix.

This graphic novel is about a girl named Raina, who transitions from middle school to high school while enduring some of the drama that comes with it.  She has an accident one day that causes her to lose her two front teeth, as braces, dental surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached!  Throughout the story, her town suffers an earthquake, she experiences the joys of boy drama/crushes, and the friends she thought she had turned out to be not so friendly afterall. 

Intended Readers: Ages 8-12
After researching more about the book, I've learned that although there are fictional events, it is based on the life of the author itself, Raina Telgemeier, who  also has adapted The Babysitter's Club series to a graphic novel collection -- look into it!  Especially for the classroom.  It's good to have stories that children may often relate to for reading material.  There's always a moral for them to think about.


Go Raina is the author's personal website with books to purchase, summaries, as well as a personal blog about her travels.

Did you know?! Smile was at first a webcomic before Scholastic printed it through Graphix. This site provides the non-color version online as well as a short trailer based on the book's events.