New Kid by Jerry Craft
“New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real, from award-winning author-illustrator Jerry Craft.”
THEMES:
Fitting In, Race, Class, Family, Bullying, Friendship
OVERVIEW
Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.
As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds--and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
This middle grade graphic novel is an excellent choice for tween readers, including for summer reading (Bookshop).
Publication Date: February 5, 2019
Audiobook? Yes
Languages? English
Age Range: 12+
Read Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes (at 250 WPM)
ISBN-13: 9780062691194
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid and Class Act. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City. jerrycraft.com
Listen to Jerry Craft introduce New Kid and talk about how his own experiences influenced the story and main character (February 2019, HarperKids)
Watch this interview with Jerry Craft as he answers questions about New Kid and the companion book Class Act while he draws live! (January 2021, LA Public Library)
IN THE NEWS
Jerry Craft wrote 'New Kid' based on his life. Then it got banned (MSNBC)
How book bans hurt kids and hinder the gospel (Sojourners)
School district in Prosper, Texas, removes 30 books in violation of procedure (NCAC)