Smile: A Graphic Novel - by Raina Telgemeier (Hardcover)

About the Book

From sixth grade through tenth, Raina copes with a variety of dental problems that affect her appearance and how she feels about herself.

Book Synopsis

Raina Telgemeier's #1 New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning graphic memoir based on her childhood!

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.

Review Quotes

Praise for Raina Telgemeier:

"Raina Telgemeier is the reigning queen of comics." -- The A.V. Club

Praise for Smile:

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Winner

Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the 21st Century (So Far)

"Irresistible, funny, and touching." -- Kirkus Reviews

"One of the most widely loved kids' graphic novels in recent history." -- Booklist

"It hits home partly because there is nothing else out there like it." -- The New York Times

Praise for Sisters:

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Winner

★ "A wonderfully charming tale of family and sisters that anyone can bond with." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Poignant and laugh-out-loud funny." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Utterly relatable for anyone with siblings." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Guts:

#1 New York Times Bestseller

★ "The story both normalizes therapy and shows a child developing useful coping mechanisms for anxiety in a way that will reassure, even inspire, readers." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "A must." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"A compassionate and accessible look at one girl's struggles with anxiety." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Praise for Drama:

#1 New York Times Bestseller

An ALA Stonewall Honor Book

★ "Telgemeier is prodigiously talented at telling cheerful stories with realistic portrayals of middle-school characters." -- Booklist, starred review

★ "Pitch-perfect." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Another dead-on look at the confusing world of middle school." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "An entertaining and enlightening read." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Ghosts:

★ "Telgemeier has her finger on the pulse of middle-grade readers, and this might be her best yet." -- Booklist, starred review

★ "Superior visual storytelling and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A can't-miss addition to middle grade graphic novel shelves; hand to fans of the author and newcomers alike." -- School Library Journal, starred review

★ "The story is consistently engaging, the plot is tightly built." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[A] gem of a graphic novel" -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Raina Telgemeier's characters fizz with visual energy." -- The New York Times

Praise for The Cartoonists Club:

Amazon Best Book of the Month

Five starred reviews

★ "A powerhouse team-up from two of comics' very best creators." -- School Library Journal, starred review

★ "By hewing closely to what made [Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud] luminaries to begin with, they have created something warmly comfortable in its presentation, quietly fascinating in its information, deeply accessible in its humanity, and excitingly perfect in its execution... A real showpiece of what happens when two masters find a way to combine their mastery." -- Booklist, starred review

★ "Telgemeier and McCloud simultaneously explore making new friends, overcoming self-doubt, and embracing a growth mindset to practice and improve... Highly imaginative and cleverly conceived." Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "The cheerful saturated colors, clear paneling, and casual, easy-to-read lettering style all make for an accessible read, and expansive backmatter allows readers to connect the dots between that reading experience and each step of the graphic novel design process." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

★ "Creative prompts, tips, instructions, and definitions feature throughout, delivered in a cheeky tone that seamlessly integrates heartfelt narrative with approachable how-to guides." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Capture(s) the intensity of friendships forged through shared creative passions and pursuits...Telgemeier has earned legions of fans with her heartfelt, relatable portrayals of adolescence, and that talent is on full display here as well... McCloud has helped generations understand the power and potential of comics -- and the inventive ways in which he and Telgemeier unpack the genre's formal elements are impressive." -- The New York Times

"10/10, I recommend." -- Popverse

About the Author

Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, and, with Scott McCloud, the co-creator of The Cartoonists Club. Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier is based on an exhibition that was held at The Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at goraina.com.