Guts: A Graphic Novel

Raina’s mother takes her to a doctor who gives her a physical. She pronounces Raina, “Healthy as a horse! Could be your hormones kicking in...might have been a little food poisoning” (26). Raina’s mother takes her to school in a VW bus. She thinks the doctor’s words did not explain why she felt afraid.

Raina goes into the administration office for a pass to her math class, which is in the middle of a test. She draws little pictures all over the paper, and then hands in her test, throughout which she was very distracted. The next day, the teacher says Raina answered only two of the eight questions and asks if everything is okay at her home. The teacher comments that the drawings she made are good, but she still must give her a D-minus. Raina takes her page back to her desk. Immediately, her stomach starts hurting.

The scene shifts back to her house, where Raina lies on her top bunk trying to read as her brother and sister fight and her mother yells at them. She says the apartment is too small for any privacy. The most peaceful place is the bathroom. However, there is only one bathroom for five people, including a toilet-training toddler. Telgemeier displays a cartoon of Raina sitting on the toilet with people banging on the door, needing to get into the bathroom (30).

This panel shows the start of Raina’s fifth-grade year, with the VW van taking Raina and Amara, now in kindergarten, to school. It delights Raina that Jane and Nicole are in her class again, though so is the bully, Michelle. Raina happily discovers that her teacher is Mr. Abrams, who taught her in second grade.

Mr. Abrams explains that one activity everyone will participate in is “LDI: lecture, demonstration, or instruction” (34), meaning students will take part in leading the class. Raina worries she might have to talk out loud in front of the class. She realizes she might be able to demonstrate drawing, although drawing in front of people is hard. She ponders, “I wonder if it’s too late to transfer to a different class” (35). Mr. Abrams says students can do LDI in pairs. Raina asks Jane at lunch if she would like to work with her. After reflecting on what they share in common, it occurs to them they are both Girl Scouts.

During their presentation, they give a lecture about being Girl Scouts. As Jane describes the founding of Girl Scouts, their troop, activities, and badges, Raina draws on the blackboard. When the time comes for Raina to describe the various badges that she has earned and what they mean, she begins to shake anxiously. Her stomach starts to rumble. She excuses herself and rushes to the girls’ bathroom. Jane checks on her and says Mr. Abrams said to walk her down to the nurse’s office. The administrator takes her into the waiting room, where there are two other students with stomach bugs, each with a pail in case they vomit. Raina stares into the room for a minute, and then turns and walks with Jane back to class.

Michelle sits beside her, and she asks Raina with an evil smile, “Are you…a poopy diaper baby” (47). Raina screams at her. When Raina does not explain what caused the outburst, Mr. Abrams tells Raina to be kinder to Michelle. This astonishes Raina, who protests, with Mr. Abrams not listening. Michelle taunts her again. Raina sits with her hands over her stomach, feeling miserable.

That evening, Raina’s father brings home two pizzas. This thrills everyone except Raina, who shoves aside her slice of pizza. She says she is going to lie down.

As she lies in her top bunk, hugging her teddy bear, her mother comes in. She asks, “Is everything okay, kiddo? Is there something going on that you want to talk about” (51). She tells Raina that Mr. Abrams wrote a note saying he can only give Raina a B-minus because she did not do an oral part of the report. Raina explains how nervous she got and how she became nauseated and had to use the bathroom. Her mother says she will talk to the teacher. Raina asks her not to share all the details.

The next day at school during lunch as she sits on the playground, Raina opens up her lunch to find a plastic container with cold, leftover artichoke pieces, which makes her nauseous. She throws her lunch away. Sitting in class, feeling hungry, she draws a cartoon of her mother feeding her artichokes and making her wish she was eating tacos instead.

When she comes into the house with Amara after school, her mother asks her if she would like a snack. Then, she sees her little brother lying on the couch, obviously nauseated, with a bowl before him in case he vomits. When Raina asks if Will is sick, her mother confirms that he has been throwing up. Her mother asks if she would rather have tacos or burritos for dinner. Raina asks how she can think about eating at a time like this. They argue about how important it is to try to avoid getting sick. Because her mother cannot understand how significant this is to her, Raina runs out of the house, gets on her bicycle, and rides around the courtyard, making 20 loops before resting. By this time, the sun has gone down. Her mother comes outside and gives her two cold tacos. Raina asks if she can sleep outside. Her mother says no. Raina asks if she can go to her grandmother’s house. Her mother says it is too late. She asks if she can sleep in the car. The next panel shows Raina, looking very distressed, in her top bunk with her sister sleeping below and her brother sleeping in his crib in the same room.

The following day at school, Raina is extremely tired. She falls asleep as Mr. Abrams lectures. The day drags on, and she is glad to get back home. Amara goes in before her. Raina, however, refuses to touch the doorknob. She sits outside on the porch, chewing her fingernails. Her mother comes out and sits on the porch beside her. She asks, “Honey, what are we going to do about this...problem? [...] What is it you’re so afraid of?...Vomit?” (65-66). Raina’s mother tries to explain that it’s something that happens to people. She points out that Raina feels exhausted and needs to rest. Lying in bed, Raina realizes her mother and father are quietly talking about her.

The next morning, her mother makes her a hot water bottle. Feeling miserable, Raina stays home from school, lying in bed hugging a hot water bottle. A cartoon of a thermometer shows that she does not have a fever.