Review: Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Did you have any kind of orthodontia growing up? Here's a book about a girl who's had it 50 times worse than you! Raina's experience is cathartic for the reader--whether the reader is pre or post-orthodontia hell.

This is a fantastic middle grade graphic novel. Kids who have had a dental emergency, getting or has braces, or is having some dental work done can appreciate Raina's fears and what she goes through. Raina trips on the sidewalk and suddenly is faced with major social anxiety. She loses her confidence and her ability to smile willingly. Smiling is hard when you're young and vulnerable and your mouth is full of metal.

Poor Raina sees a myriad of dental experts, has multiple surgeries, as well as braces, headgear, elastics for her cross-bite, a retainer, and fake teeth. As a kid who had to suffer through having my overbite, cross-bite, and uneven teeth fixed through years of pain and metal in my mouth, I felt for Raina. Her pain was my pain.

Mouth hurts so much that you're whole head hurts? Check.
Mouth hurts so much you can't chew bread? Check.

Young readers can recognize their own insecurities, fears, and problems in Raina's story. No matter what kind of embarrassing things happen to you, life will go on with people who you can really count on; people who can really make you smile.

This is a wonderful story. Easy to read, accessible, heart-wrenching, and sweet. Smile can be enjoyed again and again. Young girls in grades six and up will enjoy this story. Raina Telgemeier has written a charming graphic novel that tells the story of a young girl growing up and how growing up is never easy.

Review: Marie Lu's Legend

Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent will love this book. Marie Lu's Legend is a fast-paced, YA, dystopian novel about a futuristic United States. The book is centres on two characters: Day, a male hero and outcast, and June, a heroine who is as lethal as Katniss and as brave as Tris. The book ties tropes of love, survival, loyalty, and betrayal into one exciting tale. 

Legend is centred on a world with a militaristic government and one that is heavily divided by status. The heroes of the novel are caught up in a corrupt government's plan to rid the world of the weak and unworthy. The heroes, who come from opposite ends of the society, are drawn together by an unlikely and tragic incident. 

Lu's novel reminds me of 1984 by George Orwell, in the use of surveillance and centralizing on government conspiracy. It's a shorter book than Hunger Games and Divergent, so it's a faster read. Don't let the length make you think this book is lacking. This book is suspenseful from page 1 to the exciting conclusion. 

It's written in an alternating narrative between two heroes: June and Day. The narratives are easily distinguishable in voice and in the typeface used. It looks as issues of family and friendship, conspiracy, militaristic power, and what is right and wrong. 

The book is definitely worth a read if you're a fan of these types of novels. It's length makes it easy to carry around with you (less bulky and heavy than aforementioned dystopian YA titles). Also a good sign of the book's worthiness on your bookshelf or as a Christmas gift this winter: CBS Films holds the movie rights!