GRAPHIC NOVEL - Sisters

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Telgemeier, Raina. 2014. Sisters. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 9780545540599

PLOT SUMMARY

Raina always wanted to be a big sister and she was given that dream with not only a little sister, but also a little brother. Raina and her little sister Amara’s relationship is a rollercoaster in itself. Raina soon realizes that having a sibling might not be all it is cracked up to be. The sisters squabble over everything over the years until they are forced to take a three-week family road trip from California to Colorado. The girls begin to notice that things aren’t quite right between their parents and come together when they realize that there are issues in their relationship. In the end, they realize that sisterhood is stronger than bickering about their minor differences each day.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

A magical autobiography using humor and graphics to tell the story of her and her little sister's relationship. This is the second book in the series by Telgemeier, and she does a wonderful job at keeping the reader engaged. When her character, Raina, has a flashback, the pages are dulled with a yellow hue to them.  Then they return to the bright white to highlight the present time. Telgemeier adds humor throughout the story with the sibling drama and illustrations. 

The illustrations in this graphic novel are great and really highlight the emotions of the characters. If they are shocked, their eyes show it, if they are angry, there is added redness and steam in the illustration. The illustrations remind me of reading the Sunday comics in a newspaper when I was a kid. 

The major theme outlined in this book is the bond between sisters, even when they feel like they are complete opposites, they still relate to each other in the end. This is a great story for middle school-age students, especially those who have parents that may be going through a rough patch.

At the end of the book, Telgemeier adds personal photos of her and her sister of the same ages as they are in the book. She makes quick reflections on the photos and how they were her starting point for the story. 

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist: “Telgemeier’s follow-up to Smile (2010)—possibly the only universally embraced graphic novel on the planet—offers the same thoughtful perspective while also creating a slightly more mature and complex tone. While the focus of the story explores Raina’s combative relationship with her younger sister, Amara, it is in some sense about families themselves, the tensions they breed, the unspoken worries that swirl through households, and the ways an older generation’s unintended example echoes through younger generations. This may sound dark and heavy, but it actually exists only as an underlying reality. Telgemeier keeps the surface story popping and zippy, even through the constant sparring between the awkwardly adolescent Raina and her firecracker younger sister, a relationship that will prove profoundly familiar to many readers. Telgemeier’s art complements her writing to great effect, offering a cheerful, vivid cartoon simplicity that allows readers to instantly engage even as it leaves room for deeper truths to take hold.”

 

Horn Book Guide: “Fans of Telgemeier's graphic-novel memoir Smile will be smiling through this companion, an often bittersweet but amusing story about Raina's intense, difficult relationship with her younger sister, Amara. Sepia-toned pages mark flashbacks, which fill readers in on the evolution of this battle. Telgemeier's art humorously captures fourteen-year-old Raina's emotions, drawing readers into the road-trip story, which doesn't depend on having read the first book.”

 

Kirkus: “Told in then-and-now narratives that are easily discernable in the graphic format, Telgemeier's tale is laugh-out-loud funny (especially the story about the snake incident) and quietly serious all at once. Her rounded, buoyant art coupled with a masterful capacity for facial expressions complements the writing perfectly.”

 

Library Media Connection: “The story of atypical childhood experiences gives most tween readers something to relate to. Telgemeier's humor appeals to readers of many ages; it is evident in both her dialog and full-color illustrations. This book will be popular with both male and female graphic novel readers.”

 

Publishers Weekly: “Though the artwork draws little attention to itself, Telgemeier's visual storytelling skills are well-honed, and readers will be left wishing for more.” 

 

School Library Journal: “The author's narrative style is fresh and sharp, and the combination of well-paced and well-placed flashbacks pull the plot together, moving the story forward and helping readers understand the characters' point of view. The volume captures preadolescence in an effortless and uncanny way and turns tough subjects, such as parental marriage problems, into experiences with which readers can identify. This ability is what sets Telgemeier's work apart and makes her titles appealing to such a wide variety of readers. Not only does the story relay the road trip's hijinks, but it also touches on what happens with the advent of a new sibling and what it means to be truly sisters. Fans of the graphic novelist's work will be sure to delight in this return to the Telgemeier's family drama.”

CONNECTIONS

• In the ELAR classroom, this would be great to show students how to write a memoir and add humor and illustrations to their work.
  
  

• In the ELAR classroom, this would be great to highlight the use of flashbacks in a story. The author even colored the pages differently to have a bigger effect on readers.
  
  

• Other Raina Telgemeier books in this series:

• Telgemeir, R. SMILE (Book One). ISBN: 9780545132053

• Telgemeir, R.  GUTS (Book Three).  ISBN: 9780545852500