Stuntboy in the Meantime is a graphic Young Adult novel by Jason Reynolds which was originally published on November 9, 2021. The book tells the story of Portico Reeves, a mild-mannered school student whose secret identity is Stuntboy. Portico refers to the mammoth apartment building where he lives with his parents, Gran Gran and a cat called A New Name Every Day (no, he isn’t given a new name, that is literally what the cat is called) as the Castle and it is a place filled with fascinating characters, most of whom will need the assistance of a superhero just when they least expect it.
Jason Reynolds is the award-winning writer of Ghost, All American Boys, Long Way Down, and Look Both Ways. In 2020, he was named national ambassador to young people’s literature by the Library of Congress. His collaborator on Stuntboy in the Meantime is illustrator Raúl the Third. The tale of the superhero-wannabe, his best friend, the school bully who terrorizes them both, and the marital discord of his parent which is driving engine of Portico’s story was met, as has always been the case with Reynold’s books, with near-universal raves by reviewers and readers alike. In addition, the American Library Association honored Stuntboy in the Meantime with its Schneider Family Honor Book Award as the book of the year for middle grade readers.
The book received a standout notice from Common Sense Media for how well it the story offers diverse representations of characters and features positive role models even in the face of the dramatic conflict between the Portico’s parents who are described as basically doing nothing but fighting whenever they are together. The story offers a message of hope and redemption however as outsiders extend Portico kindness and protection and even the school bully is allowed to find salvation and an opportunity to change for the better. Parents will want to take note that the book is free of bad language, violence, and issues which have become controversial in the time of its release.
