“Mom?”

From Raina Telgemeier’s Guts.

When Raina wakes up with an upset stomach, she and her mom write it off as a bug, but it soon grows into a bigger issue.  Like any young girl, Raina is surrounded by overwhelming and distracting things from her annoying younger siblings at home and the constantly changing friendships at school, but her frequent stomach aches and issues troubles Raina the most.  Unsure of what is wrong with her and embarrassed by her repeated need to run to the bathroom, Raina’s struggles begin to manifest with worries about other people’s assumptions, panic attacks, and worries about food.  Everything that isn’t going right begins to overwhelm Raina, and the anxiety brought on by her stomach issues begin to crush her spirit.  Seeking to find a solution for Raina’s physical and mental health, her parents work with Raina to help her move forward while learning to understand her body.  Through a physical diagnosis and counseling, Raina begins to learn about both her body and her mind and how she has the strength to make it through.

This story uses a variety of elements to create a fast-moving, but engaging and relatable story.  In the third installment of the author’s biographical graphic novel, the genuine characters will connect with readers on a variety of levels, through some often undiscussed issues. Telgemeier’s illustrations are crisp and fun, making the wide variety of characters captivating for readers of all ages, making Guts impossible to put down.