“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
