Guts: A Graphic Novel

On a Tuesday, the time comes for Raina to do her next in-class presentation. She tells herself to breathe as she goes to the front of the room and says she is going to talk about the mind and the body. After explaining how the mind and body are intimately connected, Raina leads the class through breathing exercises. She teaches her classmates how to focus on planting their feet and breathing to overcome their fear. She makes it through the presentation without feeling afraid. The exercise seems to calm everyone in the class except for Michelle, who turns away from her.

A series of cartoons show Raina and Jane sitting in class together, and then noticing Michelle is absent. They joke about why she might be gone. However, she is still gone the next day and the next day. Mr. Abrams comes to class with a note saying Michelle is in the hospital. She had intestinal surgery. Students ask how she is doing. Mr. Abrams gives only minimal information to guard Michelle’s privacy. Most importantly, she will not return to class before the end of the year. Part of Raina wants to celebrate, though another part of her overrules that feeling. Raina tells Mr. Abrams she has an idea. Telgemeier draws pictures of the class putting Raina’s idea into action: The entire class takes computer paper and makes a giant get-well card that will wrap around the entire inside of Michelle’s room. They use a large roll of butcher paper, placing the computer paper on top of it to create the poster that says, “Michelle Get Well Soon, Love Room 5” (194).

Raina joins several other girls at Jane’s home for the end-of-school slumber party. They play games, eat pizza with cheese and artichokes, watch movies, and eat popcorn. Dina suggests they should play the game Skeletons in the Closet, where everyone tells their deepest, darkest secret. Raina is not sure she wants to do that. Dina goes first, saying she got her period: “I kind of knew what to expect. But it’s still super weird” (197).

Jane asks Raina what her secret is. After some internal wrestling, Raina finally says she is going to therapy. One after another, each girl shares how they or someone in their family is in therapy. Jane hugs Raina and begins to cry. Jane says she will miss them so much when she moves. It comes to light that Raina was the only one of the girls who knew Jane was moving. Jane kept it to herself because she had a hard time accepting it.

The girls decide to call Michelle, who is still in the hospital. As the others speak to Michelle, Raina sits alone, uncertain. Jane eventually hands her the phone, saying it is her turn. Taking a deep breath, Raina begins to talk to Michelle, telling her she is glad she is okay. Michelle relates that this was her third intestinal surgery. Raina asks if she was so scared that she threw up. Michelle says she was nervous but used the breathing exercise Raina taught the class to help calm herself before surgery.

Michelle and Raina talk about their stomach issues. As they continue to speak, they discover they have many things in common. As they prepare to hang up, Raina tells Michelle she has guts. Michelle replies that she will see her in middle school.

After the phone call, the girls make ice cream sundaes, dance, and try on makeup. Raina tells Jane that her mother said she would drive Raina to Jane’s new house anytime. Jane excitedly describes all the things they can do together. Finally, all the girls fall asleep.

These pages comprise Telgemeier’s appreciations and her Author’s Note. She explains that the narrative is largely historically accurate. The author relates that she has dealt with anxiety and IBS for most of her life. She continues to use different therapies to cope:

I’ve learned to accept that there is nothing medically wrong with my stomach. I just have a sensitive system and must be careful about what I eat. My anxiety also affects how my body feels! So when I’m stressed out, I’m more likely to have digestive issues (215).

She closes her remarks by encouraging anyone who struggles with fear or coping with issues they do not understand to discuss these problems rather than keeping them to themselves.