If you loved
Guts
Raina Telgemeier · Book · 2019
What hooked you in Guts is the vulnerable way it maps the messy, internal landscape of adolescent anxiety onto everyday life.
Films on the same thread
Inside Out 2
Kelsey Mann · Film · 2024
Explores: Emotional development, Teenage angst, Mental health.
Like the internal struggle depicted in Guts, this film externalizes the complicated, often overwhelming emotions of growing up, providing a visual language for the mental health challenges young people experience.
Your Name.
Makoto Shinkai · Film · 2016
Explores: Fate, Interconnectedness, Rural vs. Urban Life.
While the premise differs from Guts, you will recognize the feeling of being caught in a transition between identities, capturing the profound sense of displacement inherent in growing up.
Eighth Grade
Bo Burnham · Film · 2018
Explores: Adolescent Anxiety, Social Awkwardness, Self-Discovery.
This film mirrors the raw honesty of Guts by focusing on the quiet, painful, and deeply relatable social anxieties that define the middle school experience for so many young people.
Wonder
Film · 2017
Explores: Empathy, Bullying, Inclusion.
Much like the school-based struggles in Guts, this story emphasizes the vital importance of empathy and self-acceptance when navigating the often unforgiving social hierarchy of the classroom environment.
Series on the same thread
Heartstopper
Alice Oseman · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Guts: Friendship.
If you appreciated how Guts navigates the complexities of middle school friendship, you will find this series equally resonant as it explores self-discovery and intimacy during the teenage years.
Atypical
Robia Rashid · Series · 2017
Explores: Autism Spectrum, Self-Discovery, Family Dynamics.
This show shares the spirit of Guts by centering on a young person managing personal health challenges while striving for independence and trying to understand his place within his family.
13 Reasons Why
Brian Yorkey · Series · 2017
Explores: Suicide Contagion, Bullying, Mental Health.
While darker in tone than Guts, this series tackles the same difficult reality of adolescent mental health and the lasting impact that school-based trauma can have on a young life.
Never Have I Ever
Mindy Kaling · Series · 2020
Explores: Indian-American Identity, First Generation American, Grief and Loss.
Just as Guts explores the intersection of physical health and social pressure, this show follows a teen processing grief and identity while trying to navigate the complexities of high school.
Podcasts on the same thread
We Can Do Hard Things
Treat Media and Glennon Doyle · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Vulnerability, Personal growth, Emotional support.
This podcast echoes the therapeutic vulnerability found in Guts, offering a supportive space that validates the hard work of emotional growth and the necessity of being honest about struggle.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
Similar to the way Guts normalizes the discussion of anxiety, this show fosters a community-driven environment where sharing personal experiences and coping mechanisms helps listeners feel less alone.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Guts a true story?
Yes, Guts is a true story written by Raina Telgemeier. It recounts her personal experiences dealing with an upset stomach and the social challenges of school, such as navigating friendships and classmate dynamics, following the success of her previous works like Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts.
Who is the author of Guts?
Guts is written by Raina Telgemeier. She is a number one New York Times bestselling author and a multiple Eisner Award winner. She is also known for creating popular graphic novels including Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts, which all share a similar storytelling style.
Does Guts follow the other books by Raina Telgemeier?
Guts is part of a catalog of graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier that includes Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts. While these books are all written by the same author and share a similar format, Guts stands as its own true story about the author's childhood experiences.
What is the main plot of Guts?
The plot of Guts centers on Raina after she wakes up with a terrible upset stomach. As she recovers and returns to school, she must navigate the usual highs and lows of childhood, including managing friendships, dealing with not-friends, and handling classmates during the school year.