Smile by Raina Telgemeir is a level T on the Fountas and Pinnell reading level scale. Smile is about Raina Telgemeir’s story of when she was in 6th grade and got her front two teeth knocked out when she was running and tripped and fell. 6th grade is already a really hard time, but not having your front two teeth is really tough. This story shows her struggles as a preteen and getting through not having her front two teeth. This would be great to read to students who are going through a hard time and having issues of confidence as a preteen. You could also tell students to write in their journal of something they don’t feel confident about and how they manage to get through that everyday. 

Last year around this same time I fell into a bit of a reading slump (yes, it happens to everyone) and I picked up a little comics selection called Comics Squad: Detention hoping that it would revive me. I'm happy to say that it did the trick. Thinking lightning might strike twice, I delved into Comics Squad: Recess! by Jennifer L. Holm, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Dan Santat, & Raina Telgemeier which is another book from this collection. This book explores the theme of recess with the authors/illustrators charged with coming up with stories which somehow incorporated this theme. (Some accomplished this feat more successfully than others as a few barely mentioned recess at all.) I especially enjoyed the last 2 stories both visually and from a narrative standpoint. (If you're curious, the two stories are "300 Words" by Dan Santat which was a love story and "The Rainy Day Monitor" by Raina Telgemeier & Dave Roman which was about a RPG kickball game.) I like recommending this series to burgeoning graphic novel/comics fans since it contains a variety of storytelling and art styles to give them a better idea of what they might like. This is a great idea for anyone, regardless of age, who might be interested in sampling different writers and illustrators. 8/10 overall and certainly wouldn't say no to reading more from this series (or from the two artists mentioned).

From Dan Santat's "300 Words" [Source: Santat's Twitter]

 

From "The Rainy Day Monitor" [Source: Graphic Novel Resources]

 

 

What's Up Next: CatStronauts: Space Station Situation & CatStronauts: Robot Rescue by Drew Brockington

 

What I'm Currently Reading: El Deafo by Cece Bell

I am having a reading slump. I've had a migraine since the 12th. Yes, that is how long they hang around. I had one that lasted more than 30 days. And when I get this sick I just cannot read. I even tried an audiobook of Envy but eh. It is just not what I want right now. So I decided maybe this would perk me up until I can actually afford Shattered Grid. Finances didn't work out. Yep. Adulting is hard. Gotta pay for mulch and weed killer and all those fun things. I loved Drama by this author, and this story involves cystic fibrosis, which anyone who read my first book knows is a cause that I always fight for. 

Did anyone catch Scoobynatural?

Go watch it. It's on the CW app, and you don't have to really know anything about the Supernatural world to get a kick out of it.

I also watched the first season of Voltron today. I had no idea it was on season 5 already. Lord, watching that brought back memories. It used to come on right after SWAT Kats, and I remember the dub had a really bad Swedish accent. Anyway, I loved this new series. The CG lions were so gorgeous. But I think mostly I'm jealous they have a healing chamber. Wonder if it works on migraines....

The relationship between the sisters was well done. There could have been some more about the Mexian culture - to seems to be confined to food and the Day of the Dead. Still it was a good story about confronting fear and death