Reviews with content warning for Medical content - Agallas = Guts

Raina really went in and illustrated how her fear of vomit and anything surrounding said topic made her feel and the struggles she went through as she dealt with it on her own and eventually through therapy. I like how therapy was introduced to her early and hopefully young people who may relate to her anxiety and struggles would feel less alone and singled-out when seeking help.

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pam_'s review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

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sallytiffany's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I related to this so much. The stomach problems are so true to what I had all growing up. And I feel the pain of indigestion problems to this day. I loved how they normalized therapy. Absolutely wonderfully done.

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

Title: Guts
Author: Raina Telgemeier
Series: Smile #3
Genre: Graphic Novel
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: September 17, 2019

T H R E E • W O R D S

Thoughtful • Effective • Helpful

📖 S Y N O P S I S

When Raina wakes up one night with an upset stomach, they assume it's just a bug, as her mother also as one. What ensues is an aversion to food and throwing up. After few days, Raina returns to school where she must endure the highs and lows of growing up - changing friends, tests, etc. It soon becomes clear that her tummy trouble isn't going away, and so her mother takes her to the doctor in order to figure what is going on.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Guts is the third book in the Smile series from celebrated graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier. Of the three, I would definitely say this is the most important of the bunch. It centers around Raina's struggle with anxiety, phobia, panic attacks, and sensitive stomach. But it doesn't stop there, it combines how these things can interact with food, hormones, puberty, and mean people, etc. It also shines a light on therapy and the power of talking about our thoughts and feelings. There needs to be more books out there that help remove the stigma surrounding therapy, and to which kids can relate to. I know I'd have certainly benefited from a book like this back when I was in school.

My one issue is that I felt as though it could have used more explanation. It wasn't until the author's note that I really grasped what Raina was going through. In fact for much of the book I assumed it to be about puberty, menstruation, and menstrual cramps. I'd have preferred a clearly picture.

The illustrations continue to be a highlight. They are of real kids going through relatable struggles which is what makes these books so valuable.

Written and targeted as a series of books for kids, I definitely think the entire series (particularly Guts) opens up dialogue between kids and adults to talk openly about mental health struggles. I'd highly recommend this book to any child dealing with anxiety and panic, as well as to educators and parents of these children.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers of all ages
• middle grades students
• educators

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Thoughts can exist... feelings can exist... but words do not always exist."

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ricardo_sb's review against another edition

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funny inspiring fast-paced

4.0

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anxiety_friendly_book_reviews's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.75

5/10 anxiety rating

8/10 enjoyment rating

Representation: black characters, Korean characters, mental health treatment

Themes: chronic health issues, growing up

Hopeful or not? Yes

Who dies? No one

Give me the Spoilers section - a complete summary:

This is an autobiographical graphic novel that tells strong memories from Raina's 4th & 5th grade years. It centers around the onset of her mental health struggles as well as making new friends and navigating change. It's not explicit about what diagnosis she receives, but anyone with orthorexia, OCD, eating disorders, and/or anxiety may feel a little triggered by this book. My anxiety was a bit high while reading because Raina does a great job of communicating what it felt like to be her, and her own anxiety was high.

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