Jason Reynolds (Track series) and Raúl the Third (Strollercoaster) join forces again in Stuntboy, In-Between Time, the hilarious and moving follow-up to Stuntboy, in the Meantime, about the new challenges faced by "the greatest superhero you've never ever heard of."
Portico Reeves (Stuntboy) is a tween Black superhero who suffers from terrible anxiety ("the frets"). Portico used to live in apartment 4D in Skylight Gardens with his mom, dad, Gran Gran, and their cat, A New Name Every Day. But now he lives on both the third and fifth floors--although Stuntboy's superpower is doing "all the hard stunts so the heroes don't have to do any," his powers weren't enough to save his parents' marriage. Now, all the "in-between time" that he spends not fully with either parent gives him the frets. When Portico and his friends find an empty and unlocked apartment on the eighth floor, Portico is ecstatic to have a place that's all theirs. But when they redecorate apartment 8H, they upset a few adults, and Stuntboy is worried none of his stunts will be enough to fix this catastrophe.
This humorous and exciting middle-grade illustrated novel is broken up into short episodes interrupted by helpful commercial breaks. Reynolds's text is accessible, providing a quick, entertaining read that directly covers topics of divorce, friendship, and anxiety. Raúl the Third's digital illustrations enhance the superhero tone with loose, sketchy lines that show movement; intentionally chosen pops of color in the grayscale art focus the eye on important details. Stuntboy, In-Between Time can be read as a stand-alone and is a perfect book for middle-grade readers who love superheroes. --Natasha Harris, freelance reviewer