(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Raúl the Third. Set one week after its predecessor (Stuntboy, in the Meantime, rev. 1/22), this illustrated novel follows Portico Reeves through one very eventful day as the self-appointed superhero struggles with anxiety ("the frets"), dabbles in misbehavior, and confronts his parents' recent separation. When Portico's mother sends him off on what should be a short two-floor trip to his father's new apartment for their very first "DAD-urday," the young hero is weighed down by both literal and figurative baggage: carrying a garbage bag of old apartment leftovers and the fear of permanently being "in-between" his parents. Once Portico meets up with his two best friends, he quickly strays off-course thanks to run-ins with bizarre bullies, eccentric neighbors, and out-there scenarios (like catching seventeen iguanas). Presented as if episodes of a retro TV show (complete with theme music, commercial breaks, etc.), each self-contained chapter generally features a new problem and speedy resolve; however, Reynolds's imaginative, layered storytelling continuously explores large, overarching themes of family, friendship, and belonging with recurring motifs and metaphors. Supporting and expanding the lively text are Raul the Third's kinetic illustrations, playful characterizations, and eye-popping spreads. A lived-in, tactile quality to the overall design is achieved through thoughtful coloring, engaging layouts, and an incorporation of real-world textures such as bricks, plaster, and paint. While a realistic resolution is achieved for Portico's family, Stuntboy's outrageous adventures (thankfully) don't seem to be over yet.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) K-3 El Toro & Friends series. Illustrated by Raúl the Third & Elaine Bay. This easy-reader spinoff series dives into lucha libre action with the fantastical cast from the author's ¡Vamos! picture books (beginning with ¡Vamos!: Let's Go to the Market, rev. 3/20). In Training Day, Kooky Dooky, the ever-peppy and loony rooster, is determined to prepare El Toro for his big match against The Wall (who is undefeated), but El Toro wants to linger in bed and snooze. Eventually Kooky lures El Toro out of bed and all around town, where he chases chickens, smashes piñatas, and "helps las abuelitas cross the street," sharpening his senses, speed, and patience while basking in the motivational cheers from the town's surreal-looking creatures. Tag Team finds El Toro and his tag-team partner, La Oink Oink, the morning after their exhilarating win against the evil duo Donny Dollars and Bald Águila, unable to savor triumph's afterglow because El Coliseo is a spectacular mess. With boom box amped, El Toro and La Oink Oink bust out their lucha moves, battling sticky floors and clogged toilets and getting the job done. Simple sentences and recognizable--yet entirely fresh and original--plot structures set up young readers for accomplishment. Visual and linguistic whirls and twirls match the fast-paced tempo of lucha libre, serving up dazzling Chicano English and details such as El Toro's "teléfono watch-o," the "Punk Nopal" graffiti tag on a bathroom wall, and the revving lowrider onomatopoeia "RRREEOW!" of La Oink Oink's tricked-out ranfla. This pizzazz echoes throughout the chillante palette of matte violet, teal, and orange hues, animating the dynamic motion lines in comic-book-style drawings, rewarding attentive eyes and ears with endless detail and inside jokes. Review covers these El Toro & Friends titles: Tag Team and Training Day.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(1) K-3 El Toro & Friends series. Illustrated by Raúl the Third & Elaine Bay. This easy-reader spinoff series dives into lucha libre action with the fantastical cast from the author's ¡Vamos! picture books (beginning with ¡Vamos!: Let's Go to the Market, rev. 3/20). In Training Day, Kooky Dooky, the ever-peppy and loony rooster, is determined to prepare El Toro for his big match against The Wall (who is undefeated), but El Toro wants to linger in bed and snooze. Eventually Kooky lures El Toro out of bed and all around town, where he chases chickens, smashes piñatas, and "helps las abuelitas cross the street," sharpening his senses, speed, and patience while basking in the motivational cheers from the town's surreal-looking creatures. Tag Team finds El Toro and his tag-team partner, La Oink Oink, the morning after their exhilarating win against the evil duo Donny Dollars and Bald Águila, unable to savor triumph's afterglow because El Coliseo is a spectacular mess. With boom box amped, El Toro and La Oink Oink bust out their lucha moves, battling sticky floors and clogged toilets and getting the job done. Simple sentences and recognizable--yet entirely fresh and original--plot structures set up young readers for accomplishment. Visual and linguistic whirls and twirls match the fast-paced tempo of lucha libre, serving up dazzling Chicano English and details such as El Toro's "teléfono watch-o," the "Punk Nopal" graffiti tag on a bathroom wall, and the revving lowrider onomatopoeia "RRREEOW!" of La Oink Oink's tricked-out ranfla. This pizzazz echoes throughout the chillante palette of matte violet, teal, and orange hues, animating the dynamic motion lines in comic-book-style drawings, rewarding attentive eyes and ears with endless detail and inside jokes. Review covers these El Toro & Friends titles: Tag Team and Training Day.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Raúl the Third. Color by Elaine Bay. This ingeniously crafted illustrated novel offers a multifaceted and heartfelt take on the classic superhero story. Portico Reeves is a kid with a "secret secret"--he likes to think of himself as Stuntboy, a homegrown and self-styled superhero whose power is "making sure all the other heroes stay super. And safe. Supersafe." The selfless Stuntboy protects the quirky and racially diverse cast of characters in his apartment building, particularly his own family members and his best friend Zola. Instead of super strength or flight, Stuntboy performs a variety of odd "stunts" to help others, which also lets him burn off some energy. When he is Stuntboy, the young hero isn't affected by his anxiety, or "the frets," which are made worse for Portico by his parents' constant bickering and his relentless bullying by "Herbert Singletary the Worst." In ten episodic chapters, Reynolds employs fast-paced, realistic dialogue loaded with wordplay and humor. A parallel narrative, in the form of the television show Super Space Warriors, artfully reflects Portico's parents' impending separation. Raúl the Third's cartoon illustrations are integral, active components of the story. From the smallest possible detail in a skyline to commanding double-page action spreads, the art makes Portico's world feel real and vibrant. Bay's color work is invaluable, oscillating between pulsating palettes and subdued screentones. Keeping to the superhero tradition, the creators end on a cliffhanger, leaving readers with a promise of more adventures to come.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(1) PS Illustrated by Raúl the Third & Elaine Bay. Preschooler Sam needs a nap. "The inside feels too small" for her, and she throws a tantrum. There's only one solution: her father swings her up into the air and declares, "It's time to take a ride on the strollercoaster!" Off they zip on a thrilling adventure--up and down the steep roads, bridges, and sidewalks of their neighborhood ("Sam feels like she's flying!!")--the girl nestled snugly in her stroller. The dynamic, remarkably kinetic illustrations feature occasional comic book–style panels; speech balloons; bouncy, rollercoaster-esque onomatopoeia ("click clack"; "squeak"); some hand-drawn, oversized fonts; and a heaping dose of visual hyperbole. At one point, for instance, father and daughter zoom up the side of a brick wall. The vivid colors--starting with the fiery oranges and reds of Sam's angry mood­--­perfectly convey emotional ­subtext. Spreads are filled with ­eye-catching details that reflect the pair's bilingual community: "TIRED?" reads the side of a building, with "ESTOY CANSADA" under it. After flying through a tunnel on a striking black double-page spread colored in ­glowing lines, Sam succumbs to sleep--and then both father and daughter end up napping back at home. Preschoolers will identify with Sam's initial over-exhaustion and may find catharsis in her true-to-life display of anger. An exhilarating trip that viewers will want to take repeatedly.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(3) 4-6 Lowriders series. Illustrated by Raúl the Third. Elirio, a mosquito with artistic talent, and his friends, an impala and an octopus, share a love of lowrider cars and have mutual bullies--members of a car club known as Los Matamoscas. Spanish words (and their translations) are sprinkled throughout this humorous graphic novel about lowrider culture, friendship, and standing up for oneself. Raúl the Third's distinctive pen drawings burst with energy and visual gags. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(4) 4-6 Lowriders series. Illustrated by Raúl the Third. In the second graphic novel, Lupe, Elirio, and El Chavo Flapjack set out in their magical lowrider to find their cat and meet mythological characters such as La Llorona, the Chupacabra, and an angry Aztec god. Energetic pen drawings keep the story hopping even when the plot feels somewhat disjointed. The frequent Spanish expressions are translated on each page. Glos.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie