Jaclyn’s Review: New Kid by Jerry Craft

New Kid (New Kid #1)
written by Jerry Craft
published by Quill Tree Books, 2019

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Book Depository, Goodreads

Did I enjoy this book? New Kid is a graphic novel aimed at middle grade students and deals with the topic of being a new kid at school. More specifically, the main character is a black male starting at a predominately white private school. This book covers so many topics in an age-appropriate manner–being a new kid at school, overt racism, microaggressions, etc. I’m personally not a huge fan of graphic novels, but I thought this was masterfully written. I read it cover to cover in one sitting; I had my son read one chapter a day and answer comprehension questions, so it took him about 2 weeks to get through. This book was a great conversation starter for us as well. There were many things he didn’t understand in the book, so he was able to ask questions that led to open and honest discussion about racial issues. I loved this book, and I loved the conversations my family was able to have because of this book.

Would I recommend it? I would absolutely recommend this book. I think it was very appropriately slotted for middle grade. My second grader would have had a difficult time reading at this level and understanding the issues described. This was a great story for encouraging discussions about anxiety, compassion, and racism.
 

 

About the book – from Goodreads: A graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real.

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 post contains affiliate links.

** This post first appeared on Every Free Chance Books (everyfreechance.com) on March 22, 2021.