Smile

December 7, 2009
A charming addition to the body of young adult literature that focuses on the trials and tribulations of the slightly nerdy girl. Telgemeier's autobiographical tale follows her from sixth grade, when her two front teeth are knocked out during a fluke accident, through high school, when, her teeth repaired, she bids good-bye to her childhood dentist. Like heroines stretching from Madeleine L'Engle's Vicky Austin through Judy Blume's Margaret to Mariko and Jillian Tamaki's Skim, Raina must navigate the confusing world of adolescence while keeping her sense of self intact. Many of her experiences are familiar, from unrequited crushes to betrayals by friends to embarrassing fashion choices. The dramatic story of her teeth, however, adds a fresh twist, as does her family's experience during the San Francisco earthquake in 1989. Although the ending is slightly pedantic, Telgemeier thoughtfully depicts her simultaneous feelings of exasperation and love toward her parents, as well as her joy at developing her artistic talent—she's deft at illustrating her characters' emotions in a dynamic, playful style. This book should appeal to tweens looking for a story that reflects their fears and experiences and gives them hope that things get easier. Ages 9–13.

March 1, 2010
Gr 5 Up-When she was in sixth grade, Telgemeier tripped while running and lost her two front teeth. In the years that followed, she went through a torturous series of dental surgeries and repairs, the trauma of which was mirrored by the social struggles she experienced during her adolescence. A minor complaint is that there is no mention of when all of this took place, and readers may be puzzled by seeming anachronisms such as old-school Nintendo games. Telgemeier's full-color artwork is confident and light, and her storytelling is appropriately paced. This straightforward and entertaining autobiographical comic is sure to please."Douglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Library, Ontario, Canada"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2009
Grades 5-8 The dental case that Telgemeier documents in this graphic memoir was extreme: a random accident led to front tooth loss when she was 12, and over the next several years, she suffered through surgery, implants, headgear, false teeth, and a rearrangement of her remaining incisors. Accompanying the physical treatment came social rough spots with friends, while puberty delivered another set of curveballs with crushes, maturing bodies, and changing family expectations and judgments. Both adults and kidsincluding various dental professionals and younger siblingsare vividly and rapidly portrayed, giving quick access to the memoirists world. Telgemeiers storytelling and full-color cartoony images form a story that will cheer and inspire any middle-schooler dealing with orthodontia. At the same time, she shows how her early career choice as an animator took root during this difficult periodoffering yet another gentle reminder that things have turned out fine for the author and can for her reader as well.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
From sixth grade to high school, Raina has to deal with her teeth--braces, lost teeth, dental surgery--especially after an accident injures her front teeth (the dental details throughout aren't for the squeamish). She also has to cope with boys, friends, school, and puberty. Told in graphic novel format, Telgemeier's memoir ably depicts one girl's journey through adolescence.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)