37 pages 1 hour read

Raina Telgemeier

Sisters

Nonfiction | Graphic Memoir | Middle Grade | Published in 2014

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Key Figures

Raina

Raina is the protagonist of Sisters and the eldest child in her family. She has long, brown hair that she usually ties in a ponytail and resembles her father more than her mother both in terms of looks and personality. At age 14, Raina is caught between her childhood and her desire to grow up and fit in with older kids. In one scene, she is clinging to her teddy bear, and in the next, she is tossing it and trying on makeup. This story centers around Raina’s family conflicts, focusing mainly on her relationship with her younger sister, Amara. The story is told from an autobiographical perspective, and Raina’s own view of herself is complex. She sees herself as more agreeable than her sister, but also as someone who, in many ways, fails to connect with her family. Raina spent many years trying to connect with her sister and looks back on the first few years of living with Amara as a stressful and disappointing time. As both girls get older, the tension between them builds and they do nothing but argue. It is clear that this conflict pains Raina, but she deals with it by shutting out not only Amara, but the rest of her family as well.