Shadow Jumper fits within the genre of children’s adventure novels, which are often characterized by young protagonists going on quests or solving mysteries. Building upon the tradition of children’s adventure novels, Shadow Jumper involves a hero’s quest and features young characters who endure difficult circumstances and assume adult responsibilities.

Shadow Jumper features a young male protagonist who employs a trusty sidekick and pursues the restoration of his home. Jack has a personal stake in the mystery that drives him. Jack and Beth explore the forbidden and break rules that other children must follow. As part of the quest, Jack and Beth must leave home without permission, explore a new mode of transportation, overcome obstacles, and support each other as they encounter new dangers. They bond through their abilities to help each other and work together.

Children’s literature often features children who are orphans or estranged from their parents. In this novel, Beth, whose parents recently died in a car crash, learns to accept her grief and carve out her place in the world without the aid of her parents. Like the eponymous protagonists Harry Potter, Oliver Twist, Jane Eyre, and Anne of Green Gables, Beth must demonstrate resourcefulness and resilience after losing the stability of her family and her home.