My boys absolutely love graphic novels. So when I discovered Raina Telgemeier and her wonderful graphic novels, I knew I needed to introduce my boys to her. Every single time we go to the library, they now come home with at least one Telgemeier book, even though they’ve already read them all. Multiple times.
A good friend of mine had the opportunity to see Telgemeier in person and mailed us a fabulous autographed copy of Smile, which my boys thought was the coolest thing. They took turns taking it to school and showing it off to their friends.
I love that Telgemeier gets them reading.
Smile is a story about a girl who learns to love herself.
Here are three things I liked most about it:
- It has great pictures. Telgemeier is a fantastic illustrator, and the way her words interact with her pictures not only helps young readers remain engaged with the story (even if they’re boys and not girls), but it also keeps them reading it again and again, noticing new things every time they do. I love this about the book.
- It’s a quick read. My 7-year-old is a fast reader, but he really prefers the books that seem long but that he can finish in practically no time at all. He’s read Smile a total of five times in the last week, and he’s begun challenging his older brothers to a race.
- It has a sweet story. This story was akin to a graphic memoir; it was about a tricky time in the author’s life when she knocked out her front teeth—tricky because it was right when she started middle school, and the repairs to her teeth lasted all the way into high school. Looks are important in those time periods (if the culture is to be believed), but Raina learned to see inside herself and love herself for who she was, rather than how she looked—busted up teeth and all.
Overall, this was a fantastic read, and I’m glad my boys are reading and re-reading it, because it’s a message that needs to sink deep: Love yourself, as you are.
