Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Smile

Title: Smile
Author: Raina Telgemeier
Series: Smile #1
Genre: Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: July 12, 2009

T H R E E • W O R D S

Relatable • Honest • Realistic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Raina simply wants to be a 'normal' sixth grader. One evening after Girl Scouts, she falls and severely injures her two front teeth. What ensues for Raina is a long and frustrating journey with a variety of orthodontic equipment along with dealing with typical middle school struggles.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I only recently started reading graphic novels, and Smile was an absolute delight. When I started reading, I didn't want to stop, and ended up reading the whole book in one sitting.

I appreciated the autobiographical nature of a traumatic event experienced by the author that is the basis of this graphic novel. The book handles a variety of serious and relatable issues faced by a young people yet it's approached in a lighthearted manner. The way which Raina handles her less than friendly group of 'friends' is a definite win.

When it comes to the art, the fun, colourful images enhanced this coming-of-age story wonderfully. They felt like a realistic portrait of middle school life, despite being cartoonish.

Essentially aimed at a younger audience, Smile is feel-good story that is just as enjoyable for adults. It made me want to pick up the other two books in the series.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• generation Y
• middle grade students
• reluctant readers

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Weird...something happens when you smile at people. They smile back."

Content Warnings