Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen hero struggles with amnesia in clever origin story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As TEEN TITANS: RAVEN opens, 17-year-old Raven Roth has lost her foster mother in a car crash that also left the girl with gaps in her memory. Welcomed into the home of her mother's sister, Raven tries desperately to fit in at school but struggles against voices in her head that tell her to do bad things. She's also haunted by the shadow of a giant bird and seems to have the ability to make bullies hurt themselves. Luckily, Raven can count of her foster sister, Max, to guide her and console her as she begins a tentative flirtation with Tommy Torres. No matter what she does, Raven knows that she will eventually have to confront the darkness that lurks within her.
Is It Any Good?
Superhero origin stories are a dime a dozen, but this story from the early career of a fan favorite is clever and engrossing. In the action-packed plot, author Kami Garcia shows the depths of Raven's insecurities without turning her into an angsty drag. The diverse supporting cast fits the well-depicted New Orleans setting. Gabriel Picolo's illustrations are lively, expressive, and kinetic, with only a couple of instances of unclear storytelling. Fans of the Teen Titans in comics and animated cartoons will enjoy this revamped, more realistic version of Raven. Her story here is only just beginning, but it's off to a very promising start.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Teen Titans: Raven uses the conventions of a superhero graphic novel to tell its story. Are some stories better suited to be published as comics than as prose alone?
At the start of the book, Raven suffers from amnesia. How do our memories define who we are?
How is violence depicted in Teen Titans: Raven? When is it necessary? Why is it dangerous?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Gabriel Picolo
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : DC Ink
- Publication date : July 2, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 176
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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