Sisters

Telgemeier, R. ( 2014). Sisters. New York ,NY: Graphix.

In this graphic novel, it shows the relationship between Raina and her younger sister Amara.  The story goes back and forth between the past and present. Raina and her family are getting ready to go to a family reunion in Colorado. Raina, Amara, their little brother Will, and their Mom will drive to Colorado, while their Dad will fly.  Raina and her younger sister Amara are typically siblings that  argue and irritate one another.  Raina thinks back to the past and wonders why she ever asked for a sister.  In her flashbacks, it shows how much Raina begs her parents for a little sister, but when Raina arrives, it's a different story.  Raina is fussy and cries a lot. As Raina grows, it is apparent that she is a loner and prefers to play by herself.  The story continues with their road trip to Colorado.  The girls tease and and pick on one another throughout the trip. When they arrive at Dinosaur National Monument,  Raina thinks back to when Will, their little brother is born.  Now all three kids have to share a bedroom in their small apartment.  She also thinks back to a time they visited the zoo and her sister made fun of her for being afraid of snakes and then the time her dad looses his job.  The family finally arrives at their aunt and uncle's, and Raina discovers the cousin she used to get along with so well, has grown up and they like different things. Raina feels like she doesn't fit in, but her sister Amara is unsympathetic and doesn't want to hang out with Raina either.  Another flashback tells of a time Amara's pet snake escapes in the family's mini-van and was never found.  When the family leaves Colorado to go back home to San Franciso, they have car trouble.  Their Mom and Will catch a ride to get help and leave the girls alone.  The girls are left alone for hours and become worried about their Mom.  During this time, the snake reappears.  Raina catches him and agrees to let Amara keep him.  The girls actually do something nice for one another and get along the remainder of the night.  

Anyone who has a sibling can relate to this story.  Siblings fight and bicker, but deep down they love one another.  This story shows the relationship between sisters, but it could be any combination of siblings who disagree and argue. There is also the topic of divorce in the story and how the girls are worried about their parents splitting up.  This is  topic many YA readers can relate to. Readers can also relate to being on a long car trip with their family and how much family can irritate one another, but also love one another too.  Fans of graphic novels will also enjoy this story about siblings and families.  Raina Telgemeiser based this story on her own childhood and her relationship between her sister and her.  

Telgemeiser won the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Writer/Artist for this graphic novel in 2015 for Sisters.  She has written and illustrated other graphic novels including Smile, Ghosts, and Drama, which received a Stonewall Honor Book for Children's Literature in 2013.