Share Your Smile: Raina's Guide to Telling Your Own Story

by Raina Telgemeier

Have you ever thought about creating your own comics? If the answer is yes, this fun, colorful, and interactive journal is for you! With guidance from Raina, brainstorm ideas and use your imagination to create your own stories.

Includes bonus and behind-the-scenes material from Raina and her own comics-making adventures!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Comics, Middle Grade, Writing, Childrens, How To

144 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2019

Reviews

[Scottsdale Public Library]

I love Raina Telgemeier. Seriously. I have read every single one of her middle-grade graphic novels and love them all. If Raina decided to publish a graphic novel about her grocery list - I would buy it and give it 5 stars. She is that good.

This is her debut nonfiction book - an interactive journal where Telegemeier takes the reader through her personal creative journey while encouraging the reader to find their own. She encourages the reader to draw, write, and create stories*.

Throughout the book, there are pages with snippets of her previously published works (Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts) as well as a sneak peek of her upcoming graphic novel, Guts. It is a very cute and inspiring read.

*Remember, if checking out from the library you will need to write/draw on your own paper and not the pages of the book. -Jenny L.

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Raina Telgemeier.

Full review to come!

[Abby Johnson]

Raina Telgemeier encourages young readers to share their own stories in this guide to writing and drawing. Chapters start with excerpts from her super popular books that lead the way into writing prompts on different subjects - memoir, writing about family, writing based on experiences that happened to you, and writing based on setting. Space is provided in each section for readers to answer questions and start drawing and writing their own stories.

This is going to be super popular. Libraries should be aware that this is a book that encourages kids to write in it. It's still worth getting for the behind-the-scenes look at how Telgemeier wrote Smile and her advice and encouragement for young writers.

[Brenda Kahn]

Found this in the PTO's Scholastic Book Fair and figured I'd buy it for the library since there's a lot of good advice and writing prompts in the book and Ms. Telgemeier's books are very popular. I hope students who check the book out will resist writing/ drawing in it!

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended for kids and tweens.

[Lokum Çocuk Kutuphanesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

çok sevdim, zaten raina ne yazsa ve yapsa severim :)

[Tooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book— all opinions are my own-
____
Share Your Smile by @goraina is an amazing addition to anyone who loves Raina Telgemeier as an author!.
Readers will love not only reading about where her inspirations came from, but also be able to start sharing their own stories through the wonderful prompts and ideas in this book.

I really enjoyed the different excerpts from her life and the areas where the reader could add in their own pictures and memories. This is a must have to anyone’s Smile collection! ❤️

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read through the book cover to cover; I didn’t do the exercises yet. But my kids and I have devoured her autobiographical books many times over, and the questions and exercises are a simple pragmatic way to mine many story ideas. I borrowed my kid’s copy of this to do an initial read through, but I will probably buy my own copy to work through the exercises myself.

[Ashley]

I'm not going to give this a star rating, because I'm not the target audience nor do I have aspirations of being a cartoonist. I just read this because I'll read anything Raina Telgemeier releases.

This is a great "how to"-type book, helping middle grade kids take from their real lives to make comics, like how Raina did with Smile and Sisters . There are some neat behind-the-scenes pictures, which was the part that I was most interested in, and lots of great advice for budding graphic novelists.

If this book succeeded in anything, it made me want to go through and re-read Raina's books again. It's been awhile since I've read them, and the excerpts made me want to pick them up. The only negative I can find about this is the extreme lack of Baby-sitters Club, but I guess the focus was on her original work, so I'll forgive it. (Really, I can never get enough BSC though!)

[Aarushi]

nice

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story by Raina Telgemeier, 144 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL/ INTERACTIVE WORKBOOK. Graphix/Scholastic (Scholastic Press), 2019. $13.

Content: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...

[Shayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

it’s very cool it teaches you all about how to make your own comics 16 stars lol

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a good way to ecspress youre creative ability. it lets you shine youre inner light on one peace of paper.

[KaitandMaddie]

Own in French and English.

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of Raina Telgemeier's comics work since I discovered it back in 2017. I started with her phenomenal Drama in February that year, and then, during the summer, quickly went through her two autobiographical pieces, Smile and Sisters , after which I moved onto her supernatural piece Ghosts , and also her four adaptations Ann M. Martin's series of children's novels about The Baby-Sitters Club (starting with Kristy's Great Idea ).

So, when I stumbled across this creative writing handbook from Telgemeier, in which she shares her creative process and provides a helpful and hands-on manual for the reader to try their own hand at it, I could not resist checking it out. And it was an interesting read.

I will say, and this has had me wrestling with the grade somewhat on account of it, that I am clearly not the much younger intended reader Telgemeier is aiming the book towards. As such, while I found what she had to say about her process interesting, and her approach nice, I cannot say that it is a writing handbook, I personally find particularly useful for my own part (even though it does have its inspirational value for me as well). However, that having been said, I can see how it would be the absolutely perfect writing and drawing handbook for a young reader wanting to try their own hands at comics-making.

As such, I will lean my grade towards this latter insight and round upwards, as it were.

The book is structured in a manner where Telgemeier first goes through autobiographical comics-making, by example of Smile, then family- and road trip-related storytelling in comics, by example of Sisters, onward to dealing with telling fictional stories in school settings, by example of drama, and finally using location and the supernatural in one's comics, by example of Ghosts.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the Kid Lit Exchange for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

What a cool book! Calling all kids who want to be a writer and illustrator of graphic novels! Raina Telgemeier walks kids through her process for creating some of her very popular graphic novels: SMILE, SISTERS, DRAMA, and GHOSTS.

Interspersed with excerpts from the book and descriptions of Telgemeier's process are writing prompts, drawing lessons, and spaces for kids to plan and execute the beginnings of their own graphic novels. The book also includes ideas for consistently sparking creativity and finding sources of inspiration in your own life.

Best of all, Telgemeier takes kids' writing and illustration very seriously. She is not humoring kids here! One thing serious kid artists will think is cool is how the author shares the tools she uses to create her art. I learned a lot about what it takes to produce a quality graphic novel!

Highly recommended for fans of Raina Telgemeier, graphic novels in general, and any kids who dream of creating their own graphic novel some day. All writers—even those who are not illustrators—can find inspiration here.

Since this is a workbook, I pre-ordered a copy for each of my daughters.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using her other published graphic novels, Raina Telgemeier walks readers through the process of writing their own stories. Through Smile she talks about how to draw - faces, and expressions; how to reminisce about your hometown and decide what elements make it special. Sisters helps the reader look at family, and gives ideas about writing your own story from a special family trip or event. Drama brings the reader ideas about writing fiction based on experiences in their own life. She asks questions about school and talks about research; and with Ghosts she talks about writing from another perspective and how important atmosphere is. Telgemeier has provided a very useful workbook.

Great questions to get you thinking about your own stories, tips on drawing and the process of making a graphic panel story. It’s not necessary to have read all of Telgemeier’s books, but her ideas are drawn from them, so it wouldn’t hurt to know them. This would be a great guide for an individual - especially one who loves Raina Telgemeier, or as a classroom text for a unit on writing your own stories.

For this and more of my reviews, visit https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20... . CHECK IT OUT

[3queensread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book -all opinions are my own. Fans of Raina Telgemeier will love her new interactive journal. Telegemeier helps young readers share their own stories just like she's shared her own in her best selling graphic novels. Each chapter starts with an excerpt from one of her books and then she explains how her real life inspired them. There are then questions that help encourage creativity and a space for writing.

I love how Raina lets young fans know how she uses her own life to pull inspiration for her books. This journal is more than just full of writing prompts. It has pictures from her childhood and she even gives the steps of creating a graphic novel from idea building to putting the color into the pages. This is one of the most interactive writing journals that I have seen. Young writers who love Raina's books will love this.

[Jolynne Dougherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this how-to book. It felt very real and I liked how the author shared how much she enjoyed writing and drawing, but I really appreciated that she shared that it was a lot of work in all the stages (and that she enjoyed that as well). It is broken down and has some great questions to get you to think about the stories in your life that you might want to tell or share with others and how to get started. It is a realistic book. I like, too, how the goal isn't to necessarily become a professionally published author, but that you can self-publish using paper and a stapler.

I will keep this book in mind as a gift for any budding artists and storytellers in my life.

[Michelle Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Know any budding graphic novelists or writers? SHARE YOUR SMILE is exactly the book to put in their hands. Telgemeier breaks the creation process down into easily understood chunks from inspiration to finished drawings. She takes you through the research and drawing process, using her popular graphic novels SMILE, SISTERS, DRAMA, and GHOSTS as examples. SHARE YOUR SMILE is filled with writing prompts and exercises, giving creators space to explore the elements of creating a graphic novel.

Thanks to #KidlitExchange for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

[Nichole Oothoudt · Rating 5 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partners Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.


This book was great! Lots of tips and idea-gathering questions for young writers as well as space to make the story begin to take shape. Telgemeier shares the inspiration for her books as well shows how the novels come together - from a brainstormed list to a sketch to an inked final copy. I can see myself using this when working with my students. @scholasticinc @goraina

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raina Telgemeier, beloved by school-age children everywhere, shares tips from writing her own graphic novels on how to write and illustrate your own memoir, drama, and supernatural story. Of course, there are pages for filling in your own ideas, so maybe it is best to own your own copy, but those pages are less than half and may be better off on separate paper for writing your own story. Our library has a copy because the writing and drawing info is beefy enough for the kids to borrow to read, and then to practice on their own paper.

[Julie Overpeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the Kid Lit Exchange for a review copy. All opinions are my own.

I really like this book. Telgemeier gives young people a framework and prompts for writing or drawing their own stories. She gives enough background about her own life and how that influences her books for readers to understand how their backgrounds can prompt their creations, and she gives them space to start writing and drawing.

[Emmy Kirkham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Informational Nonfiction
Grade Level: 3-6

I love Raina Telgemeier and all her stories! This book was so fun and I enjoyed getting to see a little insight on how she created her graphic novels. I loved how she included many pages for readers to draw and write their own story, and I know I definitely would have loved this as a kid. This was a great companion book to all her other graphic novels.

[Amy Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until Guts arrives in September, readers can get a little practice telling their own stories with this interactive journal, which is full of “tips, tricks, and inspirational kick-starters for getting your story down on paper.”

[DevanshiC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great do it yourself. It was like Raina was talking to you about her life and how she made Smile and persisted. If you like do it yourself books or you are interested in making a Graphic Novel and you love Raina Telgemeier this is definitely for you.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for fans of middle-grade graphic novels who want to write their own. I like that it encourages creativity, and has practical advice, but it has too many excerpts from her other books that aren’t really needed.

[scarlett :))) · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME!!!! You can draw and plan your graphic novels!!! Future graphic novelists, READ THIS ASAP!!!! Everyone will love this. I think that you will forever be grateful of this book. P.S This book changed my life. Raina's books are awesome so read all of them. She is so inspiring.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to get kids who are already making their own comics or want to make their own started. This book helps readers/creators focus their story, plot line, and drawing techniques. They also get backstories into Raina’s graphic novels. I hope kids other than her fans will pick up this book.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick read about the creative process Raina Telgemeier goes through to make her graphic novels. It’s also have journal/activity book to encourage budding young writers to brainstorm their own ideas for a graphic novel. Love her books so I really enjoyed this behind-the-scenes book!