by Raina Telgemeier
Back Cover description:
Family, Friends, Boys...
Dental Drama?!
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. 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. Raina's story takes us from middle school to high school, where she discovers her artistic voice, finds out what true friendship really means, and where she can finally...smile.
My Thoughts:
The cover of Raina Telgemeier's delightful graphic novel is what caused me to purchase this book. Being a former dental hygienist, I was curious about the true story of the author's dental drama. What I found was not only a very accurate depiction with a variety of dental terms and treatments, but an amazing story of one girl's transformation from the life of a middle school kid, to that of a maturing high school student. Humor, sibling rivalry, and even bullying are all part of this entertaining and enlightening story set in San Francisco. I would recommend this book to girls from the ages of eight to twelve, and to anyone who is experiencing a dental drama - especially orthodontic patients!
To learn more about the author/illustrator, Raina Telgemeier,
click here: http://goraina.com/
