Reviews

In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds

gillianengelbrecht's review

funny sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

breakfastgrey's review

1.0

This book didn’t work for me at all. Its heart is firmly in the right place and it would be a lovely animated audiobook or TV show but the writing style is excessive. It’s meant to read like a kid telling a story, but you know who aren’t very good at telling stories? Most kids. The worst part? It doesn’t even end. It literally just stops and tags a to be continued.

bickie's review

4.0

Format is a kind of visual-text hybrid style like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or some of the Big Nate books. Fun wordplay. As Portico Reeves befriends a new girl at school (and in his apartment building/castle) and deals with the resident bully, Herbert Singletary the Worst, his parents begin fighting over which household items will go to which of the two new apartments they are getting (read: because they are divorcing, but Portico doesn't figure that out until later). Portico (super-secret, not-so-secret-now-that-we-know-it-identity=Stuntboy) also needs to deal with anxiety, which he calls the Frets. They move all his insides into the wrong places.
Possibly some readers will make connections between the episodes of Portico's favorite TV show, Super Space Warriors, and his parents. The main characters of SSW are siblings Mater and Pater, whose job is to save the Sun, but they frequently get sidetracked and thwarted by their own bickering.

meganmcc1234's review

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

shelbyaye's review

Just couldn’t get into it

sparklethenpop's review

4.0

2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book you can read in one sitting.
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2022: Read an adventure story by a BIPOC author.

readmoreyall's review

4.0

I think this is a 4-5 stars for the target audience. I think that the audiobook is also amazingly produced. I think the younger middle grades readers will love this.

beyondevak's review

4.0

Quick Summary: The story of Stuntboy was so good and quite relatable, in all truth. I cannot believe how much Reynolds was able to capture in this youth tale. Portico, the main character, had a life that was all of ours, in one fashion or another. He faced ups, downs, sideways, and in-betweens, both internally and externally. In the end, he landed in a new place. The new place represented a genesis moment on his journey into better knowing himself.

Rating: 4.25/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA

katiegrrrl's review

3.0

This wasn’t my favorite Reynolds book but I did like how Portico’s anxiety was handled.

2022 YMA Schneider Family Book Award

Reread as audiobook. I really don’t understand turning graphic novels into audiobooks and almost all the Odyssey winners and honor books were graphic novels or picture books.

As always, I do love Guy Lockard’s narration.

2023 YMA Odyssey Children’s Award winner

mnstucki's review against another edition

I totally get why this was an Odyssey winner! The audio is so good, with sound effects, music, and an all-star full cast of narrators.