Smile

Raina Telgemeier's Smile (2012–present, Silvester) is a warmly autobiographical graphic memoir that chronicles the author's middle-school years after a traumatic dental injury. Published as a single, complete volume, it captures the awkwardness, resilience, and small triumphs of growing up with braces, headgear, and the accompanying social challenges. Telgemeier's expressive, cartoon-style art and relatable storytelling made this a groundbreaking, best-selling work that helped define the modern YA graphic novel genre.