Smile

We read this in the book club I supervise for 9-12 year olds and we all agreed it was GREAT!

I've never had braces, but I do fear about my teeth being knocked out or falling out (my family has a history of bad teeth so I try to take REALLY good care of mine) This book has actually calmed my fear a bit to see how much trust she puts in the dentists that help her rebuild her mouth after having her teeth fall out in an accident.

I'm also glad that I could connect so much with Raina through the story. Her middle school feelings are similar to mine and really finding a place to fit in when high school came. Also she's a totally geek like myself who's into creativity and video games!

I highly recommend this book to everyone, but to those going through dental work especially. ~Ashley

Having had so many problems with my teeth I could literally feel Raina's pain!

One of my favorites for when I was growing up! Picked up every now and then for some nostalgia:)

A sweet, empathetic slice of life covering middle school and early high school, set in late 80s/early 90s San Francisco. Kind of like a kinder, gentler version of Eighth Grade (or maybe social media and YouTube made the toxic period of puberty even more chaotic).

A fun middle-grade appropriate story.

Great story of the transitional time of middle school and high school.

This was a cute graphic novel for sure, and I think young teens would get a lot out of it. As an adult reader I liked it didn't love it. My years of orthodontia are too far behind me, perhaps?

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10/19 - lol I thought I hadn't read this before but it turns out I did 8 years ago??????? anyway I think I liked it more this time around, maybe just because I've been steeped in aggressive Raina love for the last 8 years? I mean kids REALLY LOVE these books. As you probably know if you like...ever interact with kids. This time around I think I appreciated more the gentle hand with the friendship drama? Like friendships change but there wasn't necessarily a big Mean Girl moment, but it was still hard for Raina? Anyway...an undeniable classique.

Coming of age in SanFran in the 80s with numerous dental problems and catty “friends”, Raina discovers what it means to believe in and stand up for yourself. Sweet.