Facing Feelings with Raina Telgemeier

Graphic novels are often celebrated for transforming reluctant readers into avid readers, but New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award–winning graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier says that they also have “an extra secret power.”

“Not only do kids begin to love books, but then they want to write and draw,” Telgemeier said.  “And so these same kids that couldn’t care less about reading are now filling sketchbooks, papers, and blank pages everywhere they go, their noses in a book… it’s just that spark that was missing.”

As part of her visit to The Rabbit hOle on April 10 and 11, 2026, Telgemeier witnessed some of that secret power first hand during a special Risograph Comic Workshop. Twenty-four attendees ages 11-14 gathered in The Rabbit hOle’s Print Shop where Telgemeier talked about some of the basics of creating comics while Print Shop Manager Devin Goebel explained the Risograph printing process. 

Alongside Telgemeier, everyone created their own eight-panel comic which was then given color gradients using the Risograph. Afterwards all of the panels were compiled and bound, so each attendee got a book with everyone’s comics.

“Beyond being a great hands-on learning experience, attendees created a comic alongside one of the most beloved cartoonists and graphic novelists of our time,” Goebel said. 

“It was incredible to watch the kids engage with Telgemeier. This is exactly the kind of workshop we aim to design for nationally and internationally renowned authors and illustrators when they visit The Rabbit hOle. Our workshops provide opportunities for unique and meaningful connections between the Kansas City community and legendary children's book creators.”

Although Telgemeier’s graphic novels – including Smile, Sisters, and more – have come to define the medium for a generation of readers, graphic novels were not widely available or targeted towards kids when she was growing up. Instead she drew her inspiration (literally) from comics and the funny pages in her local newspaper.

During both an evening event for adults and a packed Saturday-morning program with 350 kids and families, Telgemeier discussed her life and career with Rabbit hOle co-director Pete Cowdin. Attendees received a copy of Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier, which is based on a retrospective of her work at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Image from Raina's first-grade diary included in Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier.

In both conversations, Telgemeier shared evidence of her early use of the “comic style.” 

Adults and kids alike were delighted to see images from the diary that her first-grade teacher Miss Stoopenkoff gave her – a special diary that Miss Stoopenkoff used to write back and forth with her students to improve their writing.

Other early examples included her Baby-Sitter’s Club fan art, a childhood obsession that would eventually help her land one of her first book illustration jobs as an adult, adapting the iconic Baby-Sitter’s series into graphic novel format for Scholastic Books.

“Raina’s own journey from childhood to adulthood – as a person, as an artist and as a writer – is both redolent and relatable,” Cowdin said. “It finds a depth of expression so clearly in her graphic novels, it’s no wonder kids are drawn to them like moths to a flame. Not just the messaging, but as she herself points out, as a call to action, an inspiration to create.”