About This Book
In this autobiographical graphic novel, Raina Telgemeier shares her personal experience with chronic stomach issues that begin to surface alongside her anxieties about food, school, and evolving friendships. What starts as a suspected stomach bug soon reveals itself to be a manifestation of deeper worries. The book sensitively portrays Raina's struggles with physical symptoms, social pressures, and the challenge of understanding her own feelings. Praised for normalizing mental health problems, "Guts" offers a comforting and humorous narrative for children who may be experiencing similar anxieties, providing a valuable tool for parents to open conversations about stress and emotional well-being.
"Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it's probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she's dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina's tummy trouble isn't going away... and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What's going on?"--Provided by publisher.
Discussion Prompts
1
Raina's tummy troubles were linked to her worries. Have you ever noticed your body reacting when you feel worried or stressed?
2
How did Raina's friends react to her problems? How do you think you would support a friend going through something similar?
3
Raina felt embarrassed about her 'guts' at first. Why do you think it's important to talk about our feelings, even the ones that feel 'gross' or scary?
4
What strategies did Raina use to cope with her anxiety? What are some things you do when you feel worried?
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