Telegemeier, Raina. Smile. Scholastic: 2010. ISBN: 9780545132053
Plot Summary:
Growing up is never easy. Some kids have an easier time than others, unfortunately Raina had obstacles to overcome that most kids don't have to deal with. The story begins with sixth grader Raina finding out she needs braces. Unhappy, but resigned she realizes that it is not the end of the world. Later that evening while chasing a friend, Raina trips and falls and messes up her two front teeth. The dentist tries to save them, pulling down the one that was shoved up into her gum and trying to reattach the other. The effort is not completely successful and Raina is convinced that she looks like a vampire. Additional attempts are made to correct the problem, none of them easy or pretty. Add in normal teenage angst, pimples and insecurities and Raina is having a tough time.
Critical Evaluation:
This book doesn't fit neatly into a particular genre. It looks kinda like a graphic novel, but is an autobiography and has over two hundred pages. The artwork,bold and detailed, adds a lot of emotion to the drama, teen age angst and self consciousness. The story ends happily; Raina and her parents have survived and come to terms with adolescence and it's many faces. Considering the graphic element and universal teen themes, the book's appeal is definitely towards girls. The great thing about the sequential picture is readers can see Raina's thoughts and emotions while still maintaining the overall view of a third person narrative.
Readers Annotation:
Just when you think things can't get any worse, they do.
Information About the Author:
Raina Telgemeier is a city girl through and through. Growing up in San Francisco and moving to New York City to earn as degree from the School of Visual Arts. A veteran author, Raina has written several comics and graphic novels that has been selected for reading lists by YALSA, Booklist and the New York Times bestseller list. Smile was selected as an Honor Book in the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards
Raina's fun and informative website www.goraina.com provides a page with links to free webcomics. Being married to a fellow author, Dave Roman, has provided opportunities for collaborations on several projects to include the recent X-Men: Misfits. Raina and Dave currently live in Queens, New York.
Genre:
Alternative Format/Graphic Novel/Real-Life Themes
Curriculum Ties:
Growing up
How to deal with change
Adolescence
Booktalking Ideas:
What it's like to have braces.
Have you ever felt different from everyone else?
Sometimes growing up sucks.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
6th +
Challenge Issues:
None
Why include this book?
I picked it up to flip through and couldn't put it down. It is the type of book that appeals to a wide age range.
