If you have braces or are getting braces you definitely need to read this book. Even if your teeth are as straight as piano keys you should read this book! Raina Telgemeier has written a superb graphic novel memoir remembering her tween/early teen years when she went through many trials and tribulations, both dental and social. Growing up in San Francisco during the 1980s, Raina went through the horrible Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, which is fascinating as recounted from a young person's point of view. The illustrations are superb as Raina stands at her window looking out at the unfamiliar dark city, subject to a power outage in the wake of the 6.9 magnitude quake that destroyed buildings, roads and lives in the city. Raina also endures quakes of the heart as she tries desperately to capture the attention of aloof Sean, the cute boy who only cares about basketball. Raina's ups and downs are interwoven with many, many trips to the orthodontist, and even the periodontist (she bemoans the fact that there are so many "dontists!") as she first gets two false front teeth to replace those she knocked out in a fall, then undergoes the long process of moving her second teeth into the front position to replace the lost ones. Adolescent pain and mouth pain become one. All must be endured in the course of this funny, truthful look at growing up.
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