“Raina is so smiley! She exudes energy and I so loved having a chance to see and hear from her. Her books are beloved in our household. She is inspiring! We loved hearing personal stories about Raina’s life that we didn’t learn about through her books. I loved being able to hear my favorite author/Illustrator and getting to hear questions others asked!! Even if mine didn’t get read! It was cool to see how she drew her characters it made me very happy!!! I loved hearing about her story and about her new books it was so cool!!! I would rate it a 10 out of 10!!!” — Illinois Libraries Presents, 2024
“Raina Telgemeier was a delight! She was so warm and friendly with everyone and seemed genuinely excited to meet her fans. Her talks were both entertaining and insightful. Her presentation on “How to Turn Your Life Into a Comic” was a ton of fun and really helped the audience feel like they too could make comics. We absolutely loved having her!” — Brown County Library, 2024
“Raina was a joy to work with at our library! She was excited to meet her readers and share her experiences and talents with all. We would love to have her back anytime. Thank you, Raina, for bring joy to so many kids and families at our event!” — Brown County Library, 2024
“Raina is an engaging and interactive speaker whose presentation comes from the heart, just like her books. She understands the struggles and worries kids face and helps them to overcome those feelings both through her stories and her warm presence. Raina’s event was the largest turnout we’ve had for a children’s author and our patrons were so excited and grateful for her visit with us and absolutely loved getting to meet their favorite author.” — Arapahoe Libraries, 2024
“Raina was a delight to have; she was engaging, and personable, and our community was thrilled to host her.” — Cozby Library and Community Commons, 2024
“Raina was kind, organized, and fun to be around! Our selection committee loved having lunch with her and all the presentation feedback from staff, students, and the community has been very positive.” — Tulsa City-County Library, 2024
“Raina’s books are the most checked-out books in our school library— and for good reason! By candidly sharing her own adolescent experiences dealing with shame, doubt, anxiety, and grief, Raina is able to easily connect with both students and adults alike. Although a great speaker in front of a large crowd, Raina especially shines in small-group settings where she can connect one-on-one with students and engage directly with their questions. She is both funny and insightful, which helps students feel hopeful about their own future while also acknowledging the messiness of growing up and trying to navigating life.” — Washington School, 2024
“Raina was incredibly prepared, generous with her time, gracious, kind, and so fun to work with. We had a great day at a few local schools and our evening event FAR SURPASSED any expectations we had. We loved having Raina – it was truly magical!” — Medina County District Library, 2024
“Raina was wonderful to have at our school. She provided a clear and interesting presentation for the kids including humor in there and the kids responded with loads and loads of questions for her. It is so fantastic for the kids to hear about someone that followed their dreams not on a traditional path. She was prompt when I picked her and up and very easy with her lunch requests. Raina was warm and friendly and great to have at the school for the day.” — Middlesex Parents Association, 2024
“Mead Elementary was so excited to have Raina Telgemeier come to speak about her amazing work! She was more wonderful than we could have imagined. Raina is kind, funny and relatable. She gave our students so much to think about. There was a positive walk away for everyone, including our staff. Many of our students took her words to heart. They began personal journals – recording personal moments, drawing and using the comic strip form all on their own accord.” — Mead Elementary, 2023
“Raina was delightful. She brought kids up to read parts from one of her books. In the first session, when the little girl was saying “ow” (the part in Smile where she gets braces) the girl howled it like an angry tiger. Everybody cracked up. It was awesome.” — Upper Arlington Library, 2023
“Bringing Raina Telgemeier to Anchorage was a magical experience for our public. I had so many caregivers telling me this was the book that made their child a reader. I watched children standing in line holding their personal copy of her book that was battered and barely held together with love and tape. They would be about ready to buzz out of their skin with excitement to meet their favorite author. Her presentation was engaging and relatable, just like her books. She shared her own life in a way that empowered her audience to create stories from their life.” — Anchorage Public Library, 2023
“Telgemeier’s art is incredibly expressive, and the green circles that surround Raina will have readers feeling nauseous along with her as her panic intensifies. Especially important is a scene in which Raina’s therapist talks her through a grounding technique and deep breathing exercise, giving readers a coping technique that they can use. VERDICT: A must.”— School Library Journal, starred review
“With disarming candor and in her now instantly recognizable panel artwork, Eisner Award–winner Telgemeier weaves a tangle of personal preadolescent traumas into another compelling graphic memoir.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Telgemeier brilliantly produces extremely accurate visual representations of stress and anxiety.” — Kirkus Reviews
“…handled with a deft sensitivity in which young readers, perhaps facing similar fears, can find comfort. It’s an accomplishment that renders the book a must-get for not only school librarians, but also clinicians who treat children.”—Washington Post review
“When Raina was in fourth grade, she had a lot on her mind — school, trying not to vomit, and a million other things. Over time, Raina learned how to confront her fears and find ways to stay calm during overwhelming moments. Raina shares her anxieties and fears in this funny and poignant graphic memoir, which is sure to comfort any reader who may be going through the same thing.” — Jen Steele, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI
