Smile by Raina Telgemeier and Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Beginning with Smile, Raina recounts her early teenage years in San Francisco, how she severely injured her two front teeth and the horrific surgeries, braces, headgear, and fake teeth that resulted. Not only does she go through all of these dental woes while trying to be just an average teenager, but she also deals with boy trouble, frenemies, her annoying younger sister, and one very frightening earthquake. The vibrant and colorful graphics make this an absolute fun read, and kids, or even adults, won't have any trouble identifying with her struggles.

Sisters, naturally, focuses on the relationship Raina has with her younger sister, Amara. The two cannot get along for any reason, but then their younger brother is born and their parents start acting strangely. Over the course of a road trip from San Francisco to Colorado for a family reunion, both sisters know they need to band together but are having a hard time changing how they act. This is a much more sparse graphic novel with simple black and white line drawings compared to the brightly colored and detailed drawings in Smile, but Sisters is still well worth the short time it takes to read.

Discussing family, relationships, and the angst of growing up, these two stories are highly recommended for children on up to adults. If you like Smile or Sisters, be sure to check out Drama, also by Telgemeier.