Raina Telgemeier is a comic artist who has created some all time greats (Drama, Smile, Sisters, Ghost) that fearlessly touch on topics most child/teen comics staunchly avoid – family struggles, LGBTQ characters, etc. Her latest is a semi-autobiographical story about a 12 year old who starts to struggle with anxiety.
It starts one night when she throws up. The worst right? So she starts considering what caused her to throw up. Maybe she caught a bug from somebody else. Better not share snacks! Maybe it was something she ate? Better avoid foods that could cause problems. Oh no her brother is sick! Best to sleep outside to avoid contact!
Things escalate with a growing awareness that something is off. Eventually the parents suggest a therapist and gradually she learns some coping strategies for anxiety and even becomes courageous enough to share some of those strategies in an in-class sharing assignment.
Some of the reviews have pointed out that there isn’t much of a story here. It’s true – there’s no ghosts, no cross-country family adventure, etc. And that’s true – it’s a simple story of a young person with increasing struggles who eventually learns to live with her anxiety.
I am the parent of a young person who is learning to live with his anxiety. Who often feels like he’s the only one. Who lives in abject terror that somebody will find out. That somebody will see us at the therapists office and know his deep dark secret. Who has made it clear that we are never to use “the A word” in a place where there is the faintest chance that somebody might overhear.
I don’t have the words for how wonderful it is to see a bestselling author share a candid story of a kid with anxiety. How powerful it was to see my son read a story from a favorite author where the protagonist has anxiety. To have him tell me this is his new favorite book. Representation matters. Raina was vulnerable to share her history so candidly in this book. And I am deeply grateful for her courage.