MMGM and #IMWAYR: Smile!

Fun fact—this post contains two made-up hashtags and an unprompted Star Wars reference! You're welcome.

Also, I'm continuing with my Raina Telgemeier re-read with the eternal classic. I'm probably going to pause the re-read for a bit, but I'll be pumped to get to Sisters and Guts soon!

For now, though, let's talk about the book that changed everything...Smile!

Middle Grade

Smile

Written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier

Graphic memoir · 2010 · Re-review (see original review)

Add it on Goodreads · Preview the illustrations

· · · The publisher says: · · ·

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, and 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. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.

· · · · · ·

I'll direct you to my original (old-ish) review of this classic graphic memoir if you want even more dissection of it—but for my re-read, I'm going to share five key thoughts:

• Raina Telgemeier writes in the back matter of my Smile collector's edition (#humblebrag) that "being able to laugh at trauma and misfortune is something everyone seems to appreciate." So many people certainly relate to the twists and turns and pain and absurdity of the medical chaos comprising Telgemeier's story. And honestly, I do wonder if some voyeurism and downward comparison sneak into the equation as well. But also, I think something about Telgemeier's frank willingness to let you into her story (which can't have been as easy to do as she makes it look) feels like an act of compassion to the reader. It's like she's saying, "Stop worrying about your life right now—worry about mine for a bit instead."

• It's incredible to me, as a permanent overanalyzer, how Telgemeier never overanalyzes her own childhood in Smile. She gets all the subtext in there, but the focus is always on how she felt and thought at the age she was in the story. She's able to unearth her memories and present them in a way that feels like a pure, unadulterated dose of childhood—it works so well.

• And this is one of those stories, like Best Friends a few weeks ago, that brings hope—hope that things won't stay hard forever, and that the pain of childhood eases with time. And part of how Smile brings that hope is by demonstrating, beautifully, how everyone has the right to set boundaries, stand up for themselves, and take care of themselves—including teenage Raina.

• OK, also, can we get some applause for Raina's mom?! Telgemeier writes in the back matter that "She was my hero for sticking with me through all of my dental ups and downs." She's clearly not having a fun time with her daughter's situation, yet she pushes through with aplomb and makes sure child Raina feels loved and cared for. Just, wow. #parentinggoals

• And there are so many little things scattered through this story that I love. We hear about The Little Mermaid, a giant earthquake, even a smidge of Nintendo gaming (on an NES, no less!). Telgemeier's facial expression game is on point once again—like, forget all the other technical and philosophical reasons this story works well as a comic, because just seeing people yelling with their tongues sticking out and absolutely hearing it in your head is reason enough for this format. Oh, and there's even a panel showing Telgemeier's ensemble days in high school, which as I mentioned last week, inspired her book Drama!

OK, I'm cheating and adding a sixth thing. In the thirteen years since Telgemeier released this comforting, thoughtful, and irresistible story into the world, it's changed the kidlit landscape in unmistakable ways. Telgemeier writes in the back matter that I'm apparently so fond of quoting that "Smile was published at a time when most people associated graphic novels with action and fantasy." This was not the first graphic novel to make a major dent in the kidlit space (in fact, I'm hoping to discuss another soon on this very blog), but I'd argue it was the first to shatter those action/fantasy connections (and associated stereotypes of comics as only for boys), thus revealing the ability of comics and graphic novels to hold any story, for any reader. This book is a gift not only for the story it brings for the table, but for the countless other stories it helped open the door for...and for that, we have Raina Telgemeier to thank. 👏

Bookish thoughts:

Y'all, if my plans work out the way I have reason to believe they will, then I am about to read so many books, you don't even know. It's going to be so good.

That's all for now—may the books be with you! ✨✨