Smile, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier, is a graphic novel that tells the story of her childhood. It was published in 2010, after originating as a weekly webcomic from 2004-2007. The book follows Telgemeier’s life during middle school and high school. She struggles with issues such as bullying and finding friends. What was wonderful about this book is that she talks about different understandings that arose for her and then she goes off and writes a play or an essay about it. She was very open about her experiences and feelings during this time of her life. We all tend to focus on healing and getting well - but is that really what will bring us wellbeing in life? How do we reconcile disabilities, especially facial disabilities? Or respond to people who have them.? Or how do we respond to people who have face tics or unusual ways of acting that seem odd? Although the graphic novel form may provide more opportunities for levity than the traditional novel structure, Smile shows that this literary style can be used to convey serious and emotional events in a compelling manner. [8] Analysis [ edit ] I think Ruhl anticipated that the end of her memoir, people would be wanting some sort of big, satisfying conclusion (which admittedly is what I was feeling), and wrote: Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards for Excellence in Children's Literature". The Horn Book, Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-05-15 . Retrieved 2011-04-17.

Following our NACE Challenge Award reaccreditation in July 2021, it was recognised that the use of SMILE books had a positive impact on pupil voice and the promotion of independent learning for all. Our assessor reported: The impact of Smile can be seen in the way that it has been incorporated into other works. [22] In 2014, Mark Tatulli wrote Smile into his daily comic strip Heart of the City, as heroine Heart Lamarr discovers the graphic novel on a trip to the library with her mother. [22] Awards [ edit ] a b Smith, Jennifer M., and Kathryn Pole. "What's Going on in a Graphic Novel?" The Reading Teacher, vol. 72, no. 2, 2018, pp. 169-177, doi: 10.1002/trtr.1695.The SMILE approach to learning has strengthened pupil voice and given children the confidence to take risks in their own learning by choosing how they like to learn. Because a smile mostly involves the mouth, the lips are the most important facial features to include in a description. You can use some of these words to describe them. a b Smith-D'Arezzo, Wendy, and Janine Holc. "Reframing Disability through Graphic Novels for Girls: Alternative Bodies in Cece Bell's El Deafo." Girlhood Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, 2016, pp. 72-87. ProQuest Central.

But as I know or have met some of the family members in her work, I was of course pleased to (as we do at the holidays!) “Catch up” with the news about her and them. A kind of perfect book for Thanksgiving, as probably the main point of the book is how grateful she is to have supportive family and friends. Beautifully written, top notch. She talks about just how hard her life is with her three children, how difficult it is with twins with her work as a professional playwright. The sacrifices... I see that. So? All working mothers find it tough, much tougher than she does since most of us don't have the incomes of a Broadway dramatist and a doctor. She makes a big deal over not being able to do this that and the other when she could do all of these things with an assistant, but doesn't, at least in the book, entertain that proposition. Rich people's problems! Smile is a graphic novel based on Telgemeier's experience. [6] This novel is recommended for children who are in fourth grade or above. [4] [5]

Sarah Ruhl was making a name for herself as a playwright and author...married, with one child, she seemed to have it all. Smiles can mean many things and take on different emotional significance. Here are some more good words to describe specific kinds of smiles. Somewhere in the middle, I stopped feeling quite as engaged with the story. All of the real life drama in the beginning provided a lot of interesting content, but after that, her life settled into a more steady rhythm. There are lots of little stories that were fine to read through but didn't necessarily draw me forward to the next, and in between, there was a lot of musings about faces, spirituality, illness, and more. Most of the subjects are mentioned lightly and didn't provide me with any takeaways, with the exception of the topic of faces. I'm still thinking about how it must feel like to have a face that can't express the emotion you feel, the importance we as a society place on horizontal symmetry, and all the things that a smile signifies. Smile is funny, sweet, endearing, deeply researched at every turn, about having twins and parenting three babies under the age of five, about postpartum depression, about celiac’s disease, about family, about her husband, children, the death of her father at the young age of 52, about how to sustain the writing life in all of this. I think that list makes the book seem unremarkable, but what makes the book shine is the quality of the writing, the humor (some people, including doctors, say--and do--the most ridiculous things!), and the warmth amid keen insights about living life with any kind of challenge.

In all honesty it was a hard book to read at times. Hard to Face your face and the ways Bell’s palsy or a facial injury has impacted your life. The pain that comes when people turn away from you because we see people as their face. And with bells palsey and facial injuries there is lots of that. Often people don’t know they do so. There is a shaming there. The best smiles are beautiful and open. They connote happiness and good nature. Whether you’re describing a fictional character or writing a piece of creative nonfiction, these descriptions can help. In a series of piercing, profound, and lucid meditations, Ruhl chronicles her journey as a patient, wife, mother, and artist. She explores the struggle of a body yearning to match its inner landscape, the pain of postpartum depression, the story of a marriage, being a playwright and working mom to three small children, and the desire for a resilient spiritual life in the face of illness. We have always been very proud of the children at Trellech Primary, where we see year on year pupils making good progress in all areas of the curriculum. Following the publication of Successful Futures and curriculum reform in Wales, the school wanted to embrace the changes and be forward-thinking in recognising and nurturing children as learners who are responsible for planning and developing their own learning. As a Pioneer School, we made a commitment to: Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Closea b c Wilkinson, Caryn. "Graphic Novels: A Scaffolding Strategy for Young Writers." The Reading Teacher, vol. 69, no. 4, 2016, pp. 401, doi: 10.1002/trtr.1433.

And you know you are not “supposed to” want to look at her face with Bell’s Palsy, but sure, you are also human, you want to see Sarah’s face, of course, and she knows this, so this review below shows some of her smiles, but as with any memoir about a medical condition, Ruhl also shares with us the sometimes painful, sometimes amusing process of her attempts to smile again (physical therapy has done the most good for her of all solutions): Are building up a body of knowledge and have the skills to connect and apply that knowledge in different contexts;In a minor accident at age 12, Telgemeier lost two front teeth, not minor to remedy. Following came years of dental surgeries and orthodontics involving implants, false teeth, and headgear far beyond the more usual "braces." Treatment complications interacted with the complications of teenagerhood and puberty, which led to social as well as medical turmoil. Yet Telgemeier's early career choice as an animator grew out of this difficult period. With lively color art; an entertaining and helpful read for tweens and teens facing dental complexities of their own. Clabaugh, Rich (December 3, 2010). "4 Great Graphic Novels for Family Entertainment". The Christian Science Monitor . Retrieved February 12, 2013.