On Monday, November 1, my third grade class at Happy Valley Elementary School was so very privileged to have author, illustrator extraordinaire, Raea Gragg, come talk to us. Raea Gragg is a writer, illustrator, and animator specializing in stories for children and teens. She wrote her first book at age 15 and now works developing projects for the film industry. "Mup” is her first graphic novel. Raea graduated from Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television with a BA in animation in 2020 and lives in Lafayette, Ca. 

 

Raea had a beautifully prepared slide show to share with my students.  She explained about her life, her inspiration, and her process she goes through as an author/illustrator. The animation trailer she created for her novel "Mup” was out of this world spectacular. The story is about an adventure a girl has that sends a message to readers of inclusion, empowerment and environmental awareness. It is funny, meaningful and easy to read. 

 

My students were amazed by Raea’s story.  She grew up having difficulty learning to read which made school hard for her. Her perseverance, grit and resilience shone through in her presentation.  Many of my students have written their own graphic novel this week because they were so inspired by Raea. 

 

I highly recommend Raea Gragg as an impactful speaker to any classroom. She is magical!