bcantread's review
3.0
Bought for a college class, but we didn’t end up reading it (grrr). So I read it now to say I did before donating it. I’ll admit, I’m far from the intended audience.
The story itself is the usual from the middlegrade genre. Portico goes through the typical kid stuff: bullies, anxiety, parents’ divorce. He copes with life by relating it to his favorite TV show and creating a superhero persona. Props for the POC representation though.
But the artwork is ugly (imo) and the text, speech and artwork combined sometimes looks messy and hard to follow.
Also, the story falls flat. Just when I was finally getting into it, we end on a cliffhanger. Not even a good one that makes me want to read more. Middlegrade me would’ve hated this.
The story itself is the usual from the middlegrade genre. Portico goes through the typical kid stuff: bullies, anxiety, parents’ divorce. He copes with life by relating it to his favorite TV show and creating a superhero persona. Props for the POC representation though.
But the artwork is ugly (imo) and the text, speech and artwork combined sometimes looks messy and hard to follow.
Also, the story falls flat. Just when I was finally getting into it, we end on a cliffhanger. Not even a good one that makes me want to read more. Middlegrade me would’ve hated this.
abanas's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kendrareads's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Jason Reynolds has quickly become an auto-read author for me. He is so very insightful in all the genres and age groups he writes for. This graphic-esque novel is no exception. He is so very able to express how kids are feeling. I love the double meaning of "in the meantime," and it touches so closely to the experience of so many. Great read and looking forward to the sequel that I picked up from the library this week!
summyrenea's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful middle grades book about anxiety and dealing with divorce. The characters are distinctive, and accompanying illustrations are fantastic. It has Jason Reynolds’s characteristic wit. The ending did feel rushed though.
lostinausten's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoilers ahead!!
A graphic novel about a boy and how he deals with anxiety and issues at home.
This book had some good parts like showing how a young boy acknowledges and deals with his anxiety through the creation of a fantasy world. I also appreciated how it showed his parents seperating and how that made him feel. I even enjoyed how the community of the apartment building is depicted...it added a fun and quirky layer. With all that though, this book felt all over the place and very chaotic at times. I feel like the author tried to shove so much into this book that the real heart of the book gets muddled. I wish there would have been more emphasis on Portico's anxiety and what his family is going through. I'm sure a lot of kids could relate to his struggles, but instead the author made this book more whacky than it needed to be.
Overall, a decent graphic novel that deals with some heavy topics, but most of them get ignored in favor of silliness.
A graphic novel about a boy and how he deals with anxiety and issues at home.
This book had some good parts like showing how a young boy acknowledges and deals with his anxiety through the creation of a fantasy world. I also appreciated how it showed his parents seperating and how that made him feel. I even enjoyed how the community of the apartment building is depicted...it added a fun and quirky layer. With all that though, this book felt all over the place and very chaotic at times. I feel like the author tried to shove so much into this book that the real heart of the book gets muddled. I wish there would have been more emphasis on Portico's anxiety and what his family is going through. I'm sure a lot of kids could relate to his struggles, but instead the author made this book more whacky than it needed to be.
Overall, a decent graphic novel that deals with some heavy topics, but most of them get ignored in favor of silliness.
bookbuyingwithkatie's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
fraukate's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
lphel's review
Jason is so good at knowing his audience and creating stories for them. I would have loved this book as a kid experiencing my parents’ divorce.