Smile

Smile
Written by Raina Telgemeier
2010

Raina is a sixth grader which is hard enough for anyone to deal with, but even harder when you fall on your face and knock your two front teeth out. She just can't seem to catch a break. Throughout her ordeal, Raina discovers who her true friends are, and that looks aren't everything. She learns a lot about herself along the way, and finds that if she focuses on her interests, it brings out what she likes about herself. After three years and many visits to the dentist, orthodontist, periodontist, and endodontist, she finally looks like a "normal" kid, just in time for high school.

This book definitely describes the stereotypical nightmare of a teenage girl. Kids are cruel when someone looks different, and they were certainly cruel to Raina. She did her best to keep a good attitude, but the situation sometimes go the best of her. Not every kid is going to go through something this extreme, but I'd say that most kids will go through something that will make them stand out in a way they'd rather not. Raina shows us how to recognize our true friends, and that eventually it really will be okay.