Jawbreaker

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's "Smile," this refreshingly honest middle-grade debut novel explores toxic sibling rivalry, socioeconomic disparity, and dental drama. Max Plink's life is complicated. Her parents aren't getting along, the school bullies are relentless, and her own sister is the cruelest of them all. Worst of all, her mouth is a mess. With a mismatched puzzle of a jaw, Max has a Class II malocclusion, otherwise known as a severe overbite. She already has braces, which means she lives on Advil and soft foods after each orthodontist appointment. But now Max has to wear painful and totally awkward orthodontic headgear nicknamed "the jawbreaker." Could things get any worse? Yes. The journalism competition Max wants to enter has a video component. But being on camera means showing her face not just to her junior high classmates, but possibly the whole city. Going viral is the last thing Max needs, but winning this competition is what she wants most. Turns out, following her dreams is complicated, too. Inspired by Christina Wyman's own experience with a Class II malocclusion, "Jawbreaker" is a humorous, heartfelt, and refreshingly relatable story.