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thatbookgirl17's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
As someone with anxiety and gut issues this book really hit home. Very accurate depictions of anxiety, phobias and the mind body connection. Also tackles some tough subjects like bullying and normalized mental health care. Although I have a fear of vomit the book was fine and was not triggering and felt more relatable to me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, and Vomit
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Eating disorder
notnaomie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, and Medical content
adamderb's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Eating disorder
anna_wa's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
4.75
When I first read the summary for this book, I thought for sure it would be about Raina Telgemeier getting her very first period while Mrs. Telgemeier went through menopause (both of which could feel like or look like "stomachaches"). But I was completely wrong.
It starts off with an actual stomach flu bug that both Raina Telgemeier and Mrs. Telegemeier get (along with the rest of their family). But while everybody else's stomach flu goes away, the author's doesn't. Or, rather, she's got something that feels like a stomach ache that nobody else in her family seems to have.
This book is about Raina Telgemeier's experience with anxiety, panic attacks, and IBS. About feeling like she can't control her fears and spiraling through anxiety. And about getting a therapist and, for a while, being afraid she's the only person her age with a therapist (she isn't).
I am glad a book like this exists for the middle grade age group. There are so many young kids out there going through anxiety spirals who think they're alone, but they aren't. I hope to give this book to a few in my life.
And, yes, I'm glad a book about IBS exists too. Because that probably makes a lot of kids *also* feel alone and weird (since bathroom jokes are always seen as The Peak Of Comedy during this age).
Definitely my favorite book of the Smile series!
It starts off with an actual stomach flu bug that both Raina Telgemeier and Mrs. Telegemeier get (along with the rest of their family). But while everybody else's stomach flu goes away, the author's doesn't. Or, rather, she's got something that feels like a stomach ache that nobody else in her family seems to have.
This book is about Raina Telgemeier's experience with anxiety, panic attacks, and IBS. About feeling like she can't control her fears and spiraling through anxiety. And about getting a therapist and, for a while, being afraid she's the only person her age with a therapist (she isn't).
I am glad a book like this exists for the middle grade age group. There are so many young kids out there going through anxiety spirals who think they're alone, but they aren't. I hope to give this book to a few in my life.
And, yes, I'm glad a book about IBS exists too. Because that probably makes a lot of kids *also* feel alone and weird (since bathroom jokes are always seen as The Peak Of Comedy during this age).
Definitely my favorite book of the Smile series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder
pam_'s review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Vomit
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Medical content
yoursparrow's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
4.0
A great Elementary/Middle School graphic novel about anxiety and food issues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder
kelly_e's review against another edition
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."
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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
anxietyspacerkip's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book would have been perfect for me when my own anxiety was getting out of control, about the same age as Raina. A perfect mixture of seriousness and pre-teen humor makes the subject grounded, relatable, and easy for kids to digest (ha).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder
anniefwrites's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
My younger self feels so seen 😭 I was also an anxious kid who around the age of 11 developed stomach issues. (The author and I even got the same diagnosis!) From quite literally the first page, I saw my younger self on the page in a way that I’ve never seen done before—the middle of the night stomach pain, the embarrassment, the confusion. I so wish I had this book at that age so that I could have known I wasn’t alone. I’m so glad it exists for all the kids growing up now who struggle with health/digestion issues, and for those who don’t to have a window into what that’s like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Medical content
Moderate: Body horror and Bullying
Minor: Alcoholism and Eating disorder