Jason Reynolds
Raul the Third, Illustrator
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 2021
263 pages
Grades 3-6
Graphic Hybrid/Humor
Stuntboy series #1
Meet Portico. He lives with his parents and grandmother in a "castle" (tall apartment building) along with his bestest friend Zola and worstest enemy Herbert Singletary the Worst. Sometimes when life gets stressful Portico suffers from something called "the Frets", but the good news is that he has super powers to combat the situation. Portico has a secret identity, Stuntboy, who can solve any problem or worry by doing super-heroic stunts. The Frets come on hard as Portico's parents enter "the meantime" and fight all the time over the apartment's possessions. They will soon be living in two separate apartments in the castle and Portico will have a room in each. It doesn't sound like too bad of an arrangement, only--why do they fight all of the time? And why does he feel pulled in two different directions? Get to know the gang who lives in the castle as you spend time in Portico's world as he discovers that everything is not as it seems.
This series opener features two big names in current children's literature in a format sure to be gobbled up by the target audience. Told in both text and illustrations, the design has the feel of a classic superhero comic. There is plenty of text, yet generous illustrations, mostly black and white with some tinting help to convey the action. The actual cartoon that Zola and Portico bond over is included at various parts in the story with a slightly different look and font, as well as moving to full-color illustrations. Portico is a modern Junie B., not quite understanding his world and making mistakes that will empower the audience, who will get it. Also like Junie B, he uses some incorrect grammar for laughs, which is my least favorite device in books for emerging readers. At it's core this is a friendship story, as Portico is supported (in one scene both literally and figuratively) by his old and new best friends. As a series opener there will be more installments to come and we will get to see how Portico navigates his parent's separation now that he understands the truth. Hand to fans of Wimpy Kid and Dog Man for a sure-fire hit.
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