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Cover of Guts by Raina TelgemeierGuts
Modern · Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult

Guts

by Raina Telgemeier
2019 · 144 pages · Fiction
65.8Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 4 hours to read · about 8 days at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Raina wakes up one night with an upset stomach, and her mom has one too, so it's probably just a bug. But her stomach trouble doesn't go away, and it coincides with worries about food, school and changing friendships. Raina Telgemeier tells her true story of anxiety in graphic novel form.

Why it's worth reading

It was one of the ten best-selling books of 2019. Telgemeier is one of the most popular authors for middle-grade readers.

You'll love it if you liked

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GhostJason Reynolds
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HeartstopperAlice Oseman

Good to know

It's a graphic memoir for young readers, and very helpful for kids with anxiety.

By the numbers

65.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the ten best-selling books of 2019 (Publishers Weekly)

Reads as

Funny

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Young adult booksTop 25 · 219 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is Guts worth reading?

Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 2019. It ranks #1,773 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Guts about?

Raina wakes up one night with an upset stomach, and her mom has one too, so it's probably just a bug. But her stomach trouble doesn't go away, and it coincides with worries about food, school and changing friendships. Raina Telgemeier tells her true story of anxiety in graphic novel form.

How long does it take to read Guts?

About 4 hours (144 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Guts?

If you liked it, try Ghost by Jason Reynolds, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie or Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.