Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Great apartment adventure graphic novel has heart and humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Portico Reeves and his best friends Zola and Herbert gave themselves superhero names in STUNTBOY, IN-BETWEEN TIME, and they put their heroic alter egos to work on a day of adventures in their tall apartment building. Stuntboy's mom tells him it's time to go visit his dad, who moved to a different floor after they split up. But that was the day the elevator broke and everyone had to take the stairs, which led the superhero trio onto floors of the building they never visit. While trying to avoid the teenagers in the stairwell, the friends discover an empty apartment that needs a little sprucing up (good thing they have markers), and they also learn about iguanas (and Zola's quick reflexes).
Is It Any Good?
This isn't a superficial kids' superhero adventure; it's a rare gem of a graphic novel that dives honestly into the minds and hearts of kids who are starting to understand the world. Stuntboy, In-Between Time is a fun, fast read, and Raul the Third's illustrations give life to the frenetic realities inside and outside Stuntboy's head. His procrastination about going downstairs is obvious to readers but is something that Stuntboy never acknowledges. The different kinds of family relationships -- the newly-separated parents, the established stepparents, the grandparents and the friends who treat each other like family -- are a reflection of the complex and fulfilling lives many children have. Stuntboy's inner thoughts are a perfect look at the way a young kid processes change, friendship, and an emerging understanding of the complexity of the world, all during his own adventurous day. Most middle graders will be able to see themselves somewhere in this story; a great pick for almost any kid.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how they react when they're trying to avoid a situation, like Portico does in Stuntboy, In-Between Time. What happens when you don't face something you know you need to do?
How do the adults in this book talk to the kids? Does the communication in this book feel realistic? Why or why not? Why is it important for adults to communicate respectfully and with empathy when they talk to kids?
What would you do if you found an empty apartment? Do their choices make sense?
What other graphic novels have you enjoyed?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Raul the Third
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
- Publication date : August 29, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 12
- Number of pages : 272
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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