Smile

Smile is the graphic memoir by Raina Telgemeier — the most influential and commercially successful author in American middle-grade graphic novel publishing. Smile (2010) tells the true story of Telgemeier's dental trauma beginning in sixth grade, when she knocked out her two front teeth and spent years undergoing procedures to repair them — against the backdrop of middle school friendships, family life, and the particular social anxieties of early adolescence.

Telgemeier's work transformed the market for middle-grade graphic novels, demonstrating that real, emotionally honest stories about ordinary life — not superhero adventures or fantasy — could reach enormous audiences of young readers. Smile spent over nine years on the New York Times bestseller list, a record in the format.

Telgemeier's subsequent books — Drama, Sisters, Ghosts, Guts — have each become major bestsellers, collectively selling over thirty million copies and inspiring an entire generation of female cartoonists. The accessible, emotionally resonant style she pioneered has become the defining approach in middle-grade graphic memoir.

Begin with Smile. Essential reading for anyone interested in graphic novels for young readers.