It’s kind of sad that kids today are dealing with an unusual amount of stress, but it’s honestly not surprising, what with lockdown drills and more homework and what’s going on in the world. Raina is an incredibly relatable protagonist, with fears of not fitting in, of over-reacting, of being bullied but being disciplined for reacting to the bully, of her stomach and of vomiting. Their relationship doesn't improve much over the years, but when a baby brother enters the picture and later, something doesn't seem right between their parents, they realize they must figure out how to get along. I am seeing a kind of epidemic of anxiety/stress/depression and so on in classrooms everywhere, which means life everywhere, way worse than when I began teaching decades ago.

Sisters was the tale of a road trip, but also about her life and her relationship with her sister, and now we have Guts, a book that I wish that I, personally, had had as a kid. The only reason I struggled with it is because it's not really about anything nor does it have the typical hallmarks of plot. A bout of stomach flu and some unpleasant encounters with food create in young Raina's mind a swirling miasma of fear that she'll throw up.

This graphic memoir is targeted for middle grade/ young adult readers and explores the author's issues with anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias. Raina is anxious about therapy, but her therapist is patient and understanding, often encouraging her to just "try," even when the words don't come easily. When I visit grades 4 - 6 and ask if anyone has read the Smile series, almost every hand goes up - boys included! At first it seems like just the same run of the mill flu everyone in school has but it starts Raina's brain tumbling into total chaos. I appreciate Raina telling her story with such honesty and using her platform to help children understand how to get help.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, which aptly talks about anxiety and all of the wealth of health issues that having a lot of stress and anxiety can produce on your body—and how your mind can latch onto things and run with it, particularly in the tumultuous time that is fifth grade and puberty.

should not face so much scrutiny, secrecy and stigma) but I am going to lower my rating to three stars because to and for me, in particular how Michelle and Raina end up burying their hatchet and become if not friends then at least no longer enemies has felt more than a bit rushed and should have (in my humble opinion) been given a considerably longer textual treatment. Both girls feel that the other is unfairly unkind to them, but are able to open up and realize that they aren't so different after all. He holds his massive sword 'Dragonslayer' overhead, coated in the blood of his victims as he looks ahead with an imposing glare on his face. The therapist offers some useful methods, like mindfulness and relaxation techniques, to help her deal with them.

In the end Raina receives a diagnosis related to her upset stomach, and learns coping mechanisms for her anxiety. Books like “Guts” offer over-worried kids a kind of literary hug and a message of “It’s going to be okay. Her anxiety only led to more stomach troubles, and she also dealt with a school bully and a friend moving away. With over 6 million of the world’s best eBooks to choose from, Kobo offers you a whole world of reading. One after the other, her thoughts revolve around food, what her family eats, school, what if she embarrass herself at school, what if her friends don't want her anymore.According to educators, more than 80% of children using Bookelicious find it easy to choose books they are motivated to read! I found that tidbit really interesting, but I wasn’t quite as smiley when I found out it also works if you reverse the process. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts , and is the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels. Apparently each of Raina’s books are semi-autobiographical, recounting incidents or issues that she dealt with in her own childhood.