The Longest Shortest Time

EPISODE #212: How Raina Telgemeier Got Guts

If you have a child in elementary or middle school, chances are you have at least one of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels in your home. Maybe Smile, or Sisters, or Drama, or Ghosts, or even her adaptations of the Baby-Sitters Club series. Raina’s latest book, Guts, is about her childhood anxieties—and for a full week after it came out, it was the top-selling book on Amazon of ALL printed books.

Hillary got the chance to talk to Raina on the day the book launched.

Tune in to hear how Raina’s method of coping with her childhood fears accidentally made her a hero to kids all over the world.

More Raina
You can find all of Raina’s books, plus info on her process, on her website. For Raina’s step-by-step instructions on how to make a comic about your own life, check out her interactive book, Share Your Smile. Follow Raina on Instagram and Twitter to get updates while she’s on tour—and info on future books (when she’s ready).

Resources for Childhood Anxiety
If your child is struggling with phobias or anxiety, you can get them help. To start, find them a therapist. And read up on the topic. For a primer on childhood anxieties, check out KidsHealth. For some quick tips on what to do and not to do with your anxious child, try the Child Mind Institute. And for a more in-depth read with practical advice you can use at home, try The Opposite of Worry by Lawrence Cohen.