Nonfiction Monday: Smile

Smile Raina Telgemeier

One night after girl scouts, Raina trips. She knocks one of her front teeth out and jams the other one entirely into her gum and jaw bone. What follows is years of corrective dentistry. Which is just what you need in junior high when you have to deal with puberty, younger siblings, mean friends, and boys.

This is such a wonderful story of growing up and the pain of crappy friends and first crushes and the 1989 San Fransisco earthquake... and a really gross (but wonderfully told) story of dental drama/trauma.

I had to pick this up because I'm a huge fan of Telgemeier's work in The Babysitter's Club graphic novels. (I mean, she was *perfect* in making Claudia and Stacey super-stylish, but Claudia artsily so and Stacey NYC-so without coping their crazy-ass outfits from the book. She perfectly captured the spirit of their styles.) Anyway, I ached at her changing friendships and how her friends became more and more mean. I love that she says she wanted to become an animator after seeing A Little Mermaid, but what she's thinking is that she really wants to be is a mermaid.

Also, I love the fact it's in full color.

All in all, love love love love love love love.

Although it hurts to see that references to Joey McIntyre now need explanatory footnotes.

Round up is over at Shelf-Employed.

Book Provided by... my local library

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