Raina Telgemeier may not be a familiar name, even amongst comic fans, but she’s an extremely accomplished writer and artist in the medium. On May 10, 2015, Raina’s works took all of the top four spots on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback graphic books- a first in the medium but because Raina's books are mostly for teens and young adults many of the older comic fans will not know her.
I do love Raina’s work as it is accessible and honest without being edgy for the sake of it.
It’s a shame for them though as they are missing out. Since reading her award winning memoir-ish book Smile a few years ago and the follow up Sisters I have been a big fan. She talks with honesty and candidly about matters but always at an appropriate level which isn’t patronising or edge-lordy. She created Drama, a very human story which dealt with issues such as identity, sexuality and friendship and also Ghosts, a tale about a family moving to a haunted town where the ghosts are not scary spooks but rather ancestors who offer the living a connection to their past. Drama and Ghosts showed that Raina could flex her muscles in tales based on wider aspects of life but with her latest book, Guts.
With Guts, the author delves into her past again to look at the trials and tribulations of youth, specifically anxiety and stress and the impact this can have on your life. The story doesn’t feature much of a storyline but there is the over-aching theme of dealing with anxiety, panic attacks, developing food intolerances, having a very sensitive stomach, and connecting with the ‘mean girl’ in her class . Through various vignettes we see that she ends up in therapy, which the book makes clear is no big deal and nothing to be ashamed of.
I liked the book and the underlying message is sweet and well executed- we all have our fears and we have to be brave to face them. The personal reflections of the author at the end, which discuss how she still has many of the same problems- even as an adult, will be valuable to many people who read it as it is honest and heartfelt. That’s why so many people connect with Raina’s work as it speaks to us.
I really liked the book and, whilst not my favourite, it is definitely worth a read.