About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is feeling the weight of adult tension at home or struggling with internal anxiety that they cannot quite name. Portico Reeves is a bright, imaginative boy living in an apartment building full of quirky characters, but he is secretly battling 'the mean times,' a physical sensation of anxiety caused by his parents' constant arguing. To cope, he transforms into Stuntboy, a superhero whose only job is to keep everyone safe and make sure the stunts of daily life do not end in disaster. This story is a masterclass in normalizing childhood anxiety and the confusing feelings that arise during a parental separation. Through humor, high energy, and a graphic novel hybrid format, it validates the child's perspective without being heavy-handed. It is an ideal choice for elementary and middle schoolers who use imagination as a shield, providing them with a vocabulary for their 'freak-outs' and the reassurance that they are not responsible for fixing their parents' problems.
