Rakestraw Books presents Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud!

Rakestraw Books is excited to announce a special event with Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud and their brand-new book, The Cartoonists Club.

The Cartoonists Club follows four young creators: Makayla, who has many ideas for stories but doesn’t know how to make them a reality; Howard, who loves to draw despite his father’s disapproval; Lynda, who is always drawing but can only focus on her mistakes and Art, who simply loves to be creative. Together, the quartet forms the Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about creating comics while fostering their imagination.

In a dream team collaboration combining Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud’s trademark charm, reliability, and comics expertise, The Cartoonists Club will blend narrative, how-to advice and “comics magic” to showcase the power of storytelling and inspire a new generation of cartoonists.

Raina has this to say, "When I was 16, I read Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, a ‘comic book about comic books.’ It immediately cemented my desire to be a cartoonist–as well as gave me a shape and vocabulary for the scope, philosophy, iconography, and downright magic of comics storytelling. That was a pivotal moment for me, and I speak with a LOT of young readers who have been looking for a similarly pivotal book for them. The Cartoonists Club is the result of almost 5 years of working together with Scott himself, to create what we hope is that book!

I’m happy to say that after decades of being his fan (and nearly two decades of being his friend), Scott is a delight to work with. Our minds operate in completely different ways, and we pushed each other to create and think in new directions both on the page and off. I realize that not all young readers (or their grown ups!) are yet familiar with his work, so it is a thrill to introduce them by way of our collaboration. He’s one of the most brilliant minds working in the medium of comics, and it is an immense honor to share a title on the shelf with him.

This is the first time I’ve majorly collaborated with another creator on a project, and The Cartoonists Club is unlike anything I’ve done before. We both plotted, wrote, re-wrote, drew, and drew some more, to shape the resulting book! There are four main characters, and each of them imbues a bit of both of our spirits. And, Scott and I weren’t the only ones collaborating! I worked with an inker, my friend Ray Baehr, an incredible cartoonist in their own right; and Beniam Hollman did the exquisite colors! And of course, our editorial and design team at Scholastic/Graphix played a huge role. It has been a true labor of love and we can’t wait for you to read it!"

Rakestraw Books is thrilled to invite you to this very special event -- the only one in Northern California! -- with Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud. This event will take place on Saturday, 3 May 2025 at 5 PM (doors open at 4 PM) in the Gym at San Ramon Valley High School. This event includes a lively conversation with Raina and Scott, audience participation -- lots of time for questions! -- and a very special photo opportunity.

Tickets are $25.

Each ticket admits one person and includes a signed copy of The Cartoonists Club (perfect for birthday parties!) as well as the opportunity to have your picture taken with Raina and Scott.

Host or Publisher Rakestraw Books "The Bookstore in Danville"