As I reread my issues of Raina Telgemeier’s minicomic Take Out, I tried to figure out what makes Telgemeier’s work so incredibly charming. Half way through my BART ride, I began to suspect the reason was Telgemeier herself.

Take Out collects several short stories from Telgemeier’s memories, mostly memories of her younger days, with a few stories focusing on her adult life. As I read these stories it became clear to me that Telgemeier is a smart, engaging woman who can look back on her younger days with a wisened eye.

There’s a conversational feel to Telgemeier’s stories. In most cases, I didn’t feel like I was reading a comic but was sitting with Telgemeier and listening to her telling a story. Telgemeier’s incredibly skilled at visual storytelling; when the story turns towards a series of wordless panels Telgemeier gives us visuals that communicate a fairly detailed story.

Several of her stories are a look back to major moments in her childhood where she learned things that stick with her to adulthood, like my favorite story where Telgemeier is moved deeply by reading the classic manga Barefoot Gen.

Telgemeier will be appearing at the Alternative Press Expo this weekend.