This is one of those rare books that kids actually want to read while parents feel good about handing it over. Telgemeier nails the specific hell of middle school—when your body betrays you, your friends turn on you, and you're just trying to make it through the day without crying in the bathroom.

The dental trauma is real but not gratuitous, and the friendship drama will feel painfully familiar to anyone who's survived sixth grade. What makes it work is that Raina doesn't emerge perfect or fully healed—she just learns to advocate for herself and recognize that some friends aren't worth keeping.

If your kid is dealing with braces, body image issues, or toxic friendships, this book is basically required reading. If they have serious dental anxiety, maybe preview it first. Otherwise, this is a solid, empathetic, genuinely helpful book that also happens to be entertaining.