Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

As soon as I read the plot summary for Raina Telgemeier’s Smile, I mentioned it to my sister, because her twelve-year-old has her own saga of dental trauma involving her two front teeth.  Sadly, she’s still waiting for it at her library, while my oldest and I have both read it and are sending it back to ours.  (In fact, I picked up Telgemeier’s latest graphic novel at the library today.)  Happily (on the other hand), it’s my favorite–so far–of the graphic novels I picked up for genre report options for my newly-minted nine-year-old.

Here’s the thing.  Sunny Side Up was partly autobiographical, and it was good; it felt a bit younger, however, and the lesson it taught, while perfect for its audience, is one I learned long ago.  Smile is more of a straight autobiography, written less to teach and more to share experiences.  Both work for their target audiences; the latter, however, has more appeal for an adult reader.  I cringed at some of the twists and turns on poor Raina’s dental journey, and I cheered for her as she made changes in her life that had a lasting impact on her happiness and well-being.  Graphic novels will never be my thing, but I’m still glad I read this one.  It’s worth reading.