Raina Telgemeier

Raina Telgemeier

Keynote Speaker: Author and Illustrator of the Graphic Novels "Smile" and "Drama"

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    Live Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
    Virtual Event Fee: Below $10,000
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Raina Telgemeier Biography

Raina Telgemeier is an American cartoonist whose works include the autobiographic webcomic Smile (A Dental Drama), which was published by Scholastic Press's Graphix imprint as a full-color graphic novel in February 2010.

Telgemeier was born May 26, 1977 in San Francisco. In her pre-teen years, Telgemeier suffered a serious mouth injury that required several years of dental and orthodontic surgery, (which is described in her 2010 graphic novel Smile). She was viciously teased by her friends, prompting her to partially withdraw into her love of drawing until she lost her patience with the abuse when they publicly humiliated her. She eventually found new friends of better character in high school who appreciated her artistic talent, increasing her confidence. With that encouragement, she studied illustration at New York's School of Visual Arts, and currently lives in Astoria, Queens. She lists Jeff Smith, Lynn Johnston and Adrian Tomine among her influences. She is married to Dave Roman, who is also a cartoonist.

Telgemeier's works include a series of self-published mini-comics called Take-Out, a short story in Bizarro World for DC Comics, a short story in Volume 4 of the Flight anthology and four graphic novel adaptations of Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitters Club series for Scholastic/Graphix: Kristy's Great Idea, The Truth About Stacey, Mary Anne Saves the Day and Claudia and Mean Janine. In August 2009, Del Rey Manga released X-Men: Misfits, which Telgemeier co-authored with her husband, Dave Roman.

In 2012, her graphic novel Drama about a middle school stage crew and performers was released.

In August 2014, her second autobiographical graphic novel, Sisters, about her life growing up with her younger sister, was released.

Telgemeier was nominated for the 2005 Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition, and the 2003 Ignatz Award in the categories of Promising New Talent and Outstanding Mini-comic. She was awarded Friends of Lulu's Kimberly Yale Award for Best New Talent in 2003. She has twice been nominated for the Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for Outstanding Slice-of-Life webcomic, for her webcomic Smile (A Dental Drama).

The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel Kristy's Great Idea was picked by YALSA for their 2007 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list, as well as ALA ’s Booklist 2007 Top Ten Graphic Novels for Youth list.

Smile is a 2010 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor title. This is the first time a graphic novel has been nominated for or won this award. Smile was a 2010 New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2010, a 2011 ALA Notable Children's Book, a 2011 YALSA Top 10 Great Graphic Novels for Teens pick and a Children's Choice Book Award Finalist. In 2011, the book won the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens.

Drama won the 2013 Stonewall Book Award Honor from the American Library Association.

Telgemeier has also written Ghosts (2016), Guts (2019), and Share Your Smile (2019).

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Raina Telgemeier and other top speakers and celebrities.

Raina Telgemeier Videos

Chatting with Raina Telgemeier | Reading Without Walls with Gene Yang
Raina Telgemeier: 2019 National Book Festival
Raina Telgemeier on Literacy - YouTube

How do I book Raina Telgemeier to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Raina Telgemeier for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Raina Telgemeier, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Raina Telgemeier or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Raina Telgemeier for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Raina Telgemeier, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Raina Telgemeier are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Raina Telgemeier, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Raina Telgemeier speak about?

Raina Telgemeier is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Art and Authors.

Where does Raina Telgemeier travel from?

Raina Telgemeier generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Raina Telgemeier?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Raina Telgemeier for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Raina Telgemeier for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Raina Telgemeier or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Raina Telgemeier is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Art and Authors. The estimated speaking fee range to book Raina Telgemeier for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Raina Telgemeier generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Gene Luen Yang, Jeffrey Brown and Jimmy Palmiotti. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Raina Telgemeier for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 28/10/2024.

Raina Telgemeier Videos

Chatting with Raina Telgemeier | Reading Without Walls with Gene Yang
Raina Telgemeier: 2019 National Book Festival
Raina Telgemeier on Literacy - YouTube
Gene Luen Yang and Raina Telgemeier at the San Francisco Public ...
  • How do I book Raina Telgemeier to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Raina Telgemeier for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Raina Telgemeier, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Raina Telgemeier or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Raina Telgemeier for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Raina Telgemeier, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Raina Telgemeier are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Raina Telgemeier, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Raina Telgemeier speak about?

    Raina Telgemeier is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Art and Authors.
  • Where does Raina Telgemeier travel from?

    Raina Telgemeier generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Raina Telgemeier?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Raina Telgemeier for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Raina Telgemeier for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Raina Telgemeier or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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