Matt Holm has always loved to draw, especially comics. With his sister Jennifer Holm, he co-created two enormously popular graphic novels series — one featuring a pink-obsessed mouse (Babymouse) and another starring a brave amoeba (Squish). Holm is drawn to the graphic novel format for its storytelling power. “Graphic novels actually provide a great stepping-stone between picture books and chapter books, and can be incredibly complex works of art and literature.”

Jennifer Holm has always loved reading. She recalls this: “One of our neighbors said that his clearest memory of me as a child was watching me rake the lawn one-handed while I read a book with the other!” Holm has co-authored a series of graphic novels featuring a mouse (Babymouse) and an amoeba (Squish) and created a feline version of James Bond (The Stink Files). She has also published several Newbery Honor-winning historical fiction novels for middle grade readers inspired by stories from her own family.

Meet Raina Telgemeier, the author and illustrator of best-selling graphic novels for middle grade readers, including Smile, Drama, Ghosts, and Sisters. Many of Raina’s books are autobiographical and deeply personal, especially her 2019 novel, Guts, which explores with honesty and compassion her own struggles with anxiety.

Raina has also adapted and illustrated graphic novel versions of Ann M. Martin’s Baby-Sitters Club series. Her 2019 book, Share Your Smile, is a young writer’s guide to telling your own story, full of writing prompts and idea builders.

In this interview, Raina talks about keeping an illustrated diary growing up, advice she’d give her middle school self, why everyone has a story to tell, how she creates her graphic novels, and much more.