“Smile” shows us different challenges and insecurities teenagers face

Raina is a 13-year-old girl who faces a lot of challenges, such as dealing with fake friends, breaking her two front teeth, getting braces, and boy problems. Raina had to waste her middle school experience going to the dentist and orthodontist to try and fix her two broken teeth. While visiting, she faces boy problems such as having a crush on two guys. For having these crushes, she gets made fun of by her “friends” for liking a sixth grader and also gets judged for liking a high schooler.

Smile tells the story of how the author Raina Telgemeier’s early life was. She tells us how it was being a middle schooler and the challenges she faced and the insecurities she developed. I enjoyed this book because it got me ready for middle school knowing that the challenges she faced would most likely be the challenges I would have to face. Another reason I enjoyed this book was because this book mostly talks about her experience getting braces and I am going to have to get braces soon, so this book makes me feel like it wouldn’t be as bad as I think it will.

Overall I think this book is a really good book and is worth reading because it shows us different challenges and insecurities middle schoolers face. It also shows us that whatever challenges you face, you will always get past them and become a better person. I recommend this book to people who are struggling with middle school, have an insecurity with braces, need confidence, and people who struggle with fake friends. 

Other than Smile, Raina Telgemeier has also published two more books in this series, Sisters and Guts. Each of these books tells us different plots that have happened in her life. If you have a little sibling you should read Sisters. It’s the second book and it talks about how annoying her sister was during a road trip, but then after getting trapped in a car she started to see the real her. Guts is the third book, and it talks about Raina’s struggles to overcome her fears and anxieties about bathroom issues. She opens up about her anxiety.