A review by lostinausten
In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds

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.