Stuntboy, in the Meantime

Stuntboy, in the Meantime follows 10-year-old Portico Reeves, a superhero-in-training who lives in an apartment building called Skylight Gardens. By day, he keeps his identity secret from his fellow residents while practicing his moves and attempting to protect others from getting hurt. The story takes place through a mix of prose and comic-style illustrations, showcasing Portico's daily life at home and school. As he deals with challenges like his parents' frequent arguments and anxiety he calls "the frets," Portico channels his energy into his superhero alter ego. At its core, this book explores themes of resilience, imagination, and finding ways to cope with difficult emotions. The superhero framework provides a lens through which a child processes and navigates the complexities of family dynamics and personal growth.

Readers appreciate the book's honest portrayal of anxiety and divorce through a child's perspective, with many parents noting it helped their kids process similar feelings. The superhero framework connects with young readers, especially those who struggle with mental health. The illustrations and comic book style format engage reluctant readers, with multiple reviewers mentioning their children read it multiple times. Parents value the book's message that being scared is normal. Some readers found the story structure confusing, noting their kids had trouble following the parallel narratives. A few mentioned the text formatting and font changes were distracting. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.26/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (500+ ratings) BookPage: 5/5 "Perfect for kids dealing with big emotions" - School Library Journal "The art style didn't work for my 7-year-old" - Amazon reviewer "My anxious son finally felt seen" - Goodreads review

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🦸‍♂️ Author Jason Reynolds wrote this book in a unique hybrid format, mixing prose and comic book elements to tell the story of Portico Reeves' adventures. 🏢 The book takes place in an apartment building called Castle Crenshaw, where Portico acts as a secret superhero keeping other kids safe from harm. ✨ Though Portico has anxiety (which he calls "the frets"), he transforms these feelings into strength through his superhero alter ego, Stuntboy. 🎨 Illustrator Raúl the Third, known for his distinctive style, has won the Pura Belpré Award for his artwork in other books, including "¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market." 📚 The story tackles serious topics like divorce and anxiety through a child's perspective, while maintaining a playful and humorous tone that makes these subjects more approachable for young readers.