Stuntboy, In-Between Time

Whenever Portico feels anxious, he gets the ‘frets’ and retreats into his imagination, where his superhero alter-ego, Stuntboy, helps him to cope. Portico lives in Skylight Gardens, the best apartment block in the universe. Since his parents’ separation, he must divide his time between Mum’s fifth-floor flat and Dad’s new pad on the third floor. Portico is due to stay with Dad for the first time but does everything he can to delay going to the new apartment, as he knows that once he sets foot inside, his parents’ split becomes real.

Instead, Portico spends the day hanging out with friends Zola and Herbert, in the spaces in-between his two new homes. Together, the friends capture 17 troublesome iguanas; avoid a gang of bullies who are clogging up the stairwell; and create awesome murals on the walls of an empty apartment, which lands them in serious trouble.

This hilarious tale moves at a frantic pace and is the second book in a quirky series. It features an eclectic cast of larger-than-life characters and is absolutely packed with dynamic cartoon illustrations. As well as providing plenty of laughs, the story also explores the pain of dealing with family break-up.