Book Review: Smile

 Book Review: Smile

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Telgemeier, R. (2014). Smile: A graphic novel. Scholastic Inc. ISBN 978-1338740264

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This is another great coming of age book by Raina Telgemeier. This book is perfectly aimed at the target audience regarding the topic of orthodontic care and getting through the teenage years while managing the dynamics of family, friends and growing up. This book is so relatable and creates many good conversations to laugh about.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is an exceptional graphic novel that interests readers in different ways. Whether it be the relatable story, the strong character development or the intriguing illustrations, this book is a must read for late elementary students or pre-teens. This graphic novel is a beautiful example of contemporary realistic fiction as it is based off of the author’s journey through this difficult, but enlightening event in her life. Often, with this genre, you want to see the progression of the character and Telgemeier gives us the pleasure to do so. This book is a gem for any reader, but especially for a struggling reader. Each page is so dynamic and interesting that you want to keep reading. The text is broken down into chunks making the reading experience very seamless.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Eisner Award Winner

New York Times #1 Bestseller

“Telgemeier has created an utterly charming graphic memoir of tooth trauma, first crushes and fickle friends, sweetly reminiscent of Judy Blume’s work.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A story to comfort readers traversing the years between childhood and adulthood: it presents a kind of worst-case scenario with a happy ending.” – New York Times

5. CONNECTIONS

Read other graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier: Drama, Ghosts, Sisters and Guts

This book could be used as an author study to showcase Telgemeier but also contemporary realistic fiction and graphic novels. The author wrote about an event and time in her life. What could students write about?

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson