I loved learning about how dentists handle issues such as hers, and her experience was both frightening and comforting, because at least if I ever had such an accident, I’d have a good shot at recovering, no? We don’t see a lot of Raina’s family in this story as most of it happens at school, but they are still a reassuring presence, especially her mom. At that age, I might not have handled things as well as she did.Īnother interesting aspect of this book for me is Raina’s dental problems. Although her dental issues do affect her self-image, I thought she did a fantastic job of holding strong. Raina is very likable and goes through many relatable middle school woes, made even more agonizing by her dental issues. I truly admire Telgemeier’s ability to share her life stories as graphic memoirs, and create an enjoyable plot out of a story spanning over two years. Smile follows Telgemeier from sixth grade until high school as each attempt to rectify the situation with her teeth is stumped and doctors are forced to try a different route. Her friends are sometimes insensitive toward the things that matter to her and she’s finding herself newly developing crushes on boys, even as she’s too embarrassed to smile, thanks to the braces, head gear, retainer, and other contraptions she has to wear throughout the course of this book. Throughout this process, Raina still has middle school to tackle.

Thus begins an unending series of visits to dentists and different treatment options. In her graphic memoir Smile, Raina is just trying to enjoy being a sixth grader when an accident severely injures her two front teeth.

Smile telgemeier