Reviews with content warning for Medical content - Smile

I like how Raina stood up to her "friends", who were actually bullies who took out their insecurities on her. This book is great for giving middle schoolers confidence in having braces and standing up to bullies.

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krivas91's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.75

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keejaymarie02's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

A fun coming of age comic style story, with all of the fun teenage drama and the added bonus of a dental nightmare!

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sallytiffany's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced

5.0

This was really cute. I related to the dental stuff so much as I went through a ton with braces, retainers, spaces, and rubber bands. It was nice to see my experience on paper. A lovely short read.

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ashylibrarian's review

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

This is a fun and emotional graphic memoir that shows the trials and tribulations of growing up through teenage years.

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

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."

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