Max Plink’s teeth seem to be the cause of most of her problems. Her severe overbite requires expensive, painful orthodontia—including her new headgear, or “jawbreaker”—and the frightening potential of double jaw surgery down the road. The expense is straining her family’s already stretched-thin finances; her parents fight over money, and her dad drinks too much. Max’s younger sister, Alexis, joins the bullies at school in relentlessly tormenting Max, calling her Bucky Beaver and worse. To top it all off, a local journalism competition for junior high students, which Max has long hoped to win, decides to accept only video entries, not essays, and Max is loath to appear onscreen. Amid the chaos she finds comfort in a blog written by a young man who chronicled his own experience with double jaw surgery—and the bullying that preceded it—and a lightbulb goes on. For her application, Max will report on bullying in schools. And, if she’s brave enough to wear it in the video, surely her headgear will make an impact. While Max’s jawbreaker is the titular topic, it turns out it’s not the root of her problems. Unflinching in its depiction of a host of challenges that can stem from intergenerational trauma, toxic family dynamics, and poverty (including lack of access to technology needed for schoolwork), this novel ends on a high note as Max and her family (white) commit to communicating, seeking help, and being kinder to one another. (Ages 8-12)

A USA Today bestseller perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Smile, this is a funny and fresh middle-grade debut novel about jawbreaking dental drama.

Max Plink’s life just got a lot more complicated. Trouble at home? Check—with money tight, her parents haven’t been getting along lately. School bullies? Double check—especially if you count her sister, who is the worst bully of them all. Dental drama? Oh, you have no idea. 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 totally awkward orthodontic headgear nicknamed “the jawbreaker.” Could things get any worse?

Yes, they could. 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 and refreshingly honest story perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Terri Libenson, Kelly Yang, Gordon Korman, and other endlessly funny and deeply heartfelt books that tackle big topics and universal coming-of-age experiences alike.

Don't miss Slouch, the highly anticipated, stand-alone follow-up to Jawbreaker, about a tall girl navigating friends, family, self-esteem, and boundaries.

Praise and Accolades for Jawbreaker:

“A courageous story about developing 'brace' under pressure.” —The New York Times

★ “Smile meets Wonder.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “A hugely relatable must-read.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Jawbreaker is the novel you wish you had read as a kid and are grateful that kids get to read today.” —Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, A School Library Journal Blog

A USA TODAY BESTSELLER ● An Indies Introduce and Kids’ Indie Next List Pick ● A “Best Book of the Year” Selection by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Amazon.com, and the American Booksellers Association ● A New York Times "Books for Kids Starting Middle School" Selection ● Nerdy Book Awards Middle Grade Fiction Winner ● Judy Lopez Memorial Award Winner ● William Allen White Children's Book Award Nominee ● Kids All Iowa Reads selection