Guts

It's been 5 years since Sisters, the sequel to her hit GN smile, and I am pleased to say Reginia Telgemeier is back with flair!

Guts is spectacular. The pacing, dialogue, humor, and subject matter shows that Regina is still the top graphic novel writer and artist in the young children’s and middle grade business.

As with Smile and Sisters, Guts is based on elements of Raina's middle grade life. Where Smile is about Raina's insecurities about her braces, and Sisters is about her difficult relationship with her sister, Guts is about her anxiety. At first Raina develops a phobia of throwing up. She experiences a panic attack at the thought of getting sick. While the feeling is difficult to explain in words, Raina does an apt job communicating the feeling through images of the character falling through the bathroom floor while struggling to stay above. Her anxieties expand to include social situations and eating. Eventually her parents have her see a therapist. I found the therapy scenes to be especially well done and realistic. Raina is anxious about therapy, but her therapist is patient and understanding, often encouraging her to just "try," even when the words don't come easily. In the end Raina receives a diagnosis related to her upset stomach, and learns coping mechanisms for her anxiety.

Readers of all ages will take away real mindfulness practices such as grounding and deep breathing. The book will help destigmatize mental health issues and going to therapy. I appreciate Raina telling her story with such honesty and using her platform to help children understand how to get help.