Raina Telgemeier
Born: May 26, 1977 – San Francisco, California, United States
Raina Telgemeier is an American cartoonist and children’s graphic novelist whose work centers on adolescence, family, friendship, and school life. She is best known for Smile, Sisters, Drama, Ghosts, and Guts, as well as adaptations of The Baby-Sitters Club, and has won multiple Eisner Awards and widespread bestseller status.
Biography & Author's Journey
Raina Telgemeier was born in San Francisco in 1977 and grew up there, reading newspaper comic strips as a child and making her own comics soon afterward. She has said that keeping a diary in words and pictures from about age eleven gave her an early habit of turning ordinary life into narrative. After moving to New York, she studied illustration at the School of Visual Arts, graduating in 2002. Those years helped sharpen the clear, expressive drawing style and readable page design that later became central to her work for young readers.
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Conquering childhood anxiety through art's healing power-a million-copy phenomenon.
Smile
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A relatable graphic memoir chronicling a girl's journey through dental drama, middle school struggles, and self-discovery.
Drama
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Theater crushes and identity collide in this banned, beloved graphic novel.
Agallas (Guts)
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Conquering childhood anxiety through art's healing power-a million-copy phenomenon.
Smile
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Drama
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Theater crushes and identity collide in this banned, beloved graphic novel.
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Community Voices
"Raina Telgemeier is the reigning queen of comics"
— The A.V. Club
"Telgemeier’s realistic, sometimes autobiographical books have helped popularize graphic novels for middle-schoolers, in a big way"
— The New Yorker
"Telgemeier's bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged"
— Kirkus Reviews
"Raina Telgemeier became a hero to millions of readers by showing how uncomfortable growing up can be"
— The Washington Post
"Raina Telgemeier's characters fizz with visual energy"
— The New York Times Book Review
"Telgemeier nudges readers toward the edge of their comfort zone, but she never leaves them alone there"
— Publishers Weekly
"Raina Telgemeier is a book-publishing phenomenon"
— The Beat
"Telgemeier is prodigiously talented at telling cheerful stories with realistic portrayals of middle-school characters"
— Booklist
"Raina Telgemeier is the most important comic creator of the current age"
— Comics Worth Reading
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
