Guts is a graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier that is right up there with her other books. Her classic writing style of charm, realism, humor and basing events on her own experiences, Guts is a great book for the fan of Telgemeier.
If there is one issue with the book, it is that it is just like Telgemeirer’s other books. Though the subject matter is different (this time Telgemeier talks about the times she was learning about her anxiety and fears and the effects it was having on her physically and mentally) it could almost be any other book by her. Yet, this is a minor flaw, if even one could call it a flaw.
Everything you know and love about Telgemeier is here: her wit and her talent with creative illustrations. You see Raina and her friends go through the trials and tribulations of being a fourth and fifth grader. And you see the girls getting ready for the most dreaded event of them all: Middle School. Through all this, Raina learns what it means to have friends, be friends and sometimes things are not what they seem. But when even the thought of being physical ill can cause you to become ill, things are not black and white or easy at al.
The theme of guts is throughout the book: her guts are in an uproar, it takes guts to be a good friend, it takes guts to admit there is something wrong and you need help, it takes guts to be vulnerable and to realize that you are not alone. Due September 2019 (image from online),