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"New Kid" by Jerry Craft

 The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards: Great Graphic Novels for Teens

"New Kid"

by Jerry Craft


Book Summary:

"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?"
-Amazon.com


NEW KID WITH JERRY CRAFT

About the Author:

Jerry Craft is the winner of the Newbery Medal for his graphic novel New Kid. He has worked on numerous picture books, graphic novels, and middle grade novels. Jerry is the creator of Mama’s Boyz, an award-winning syndicated comic strip. He has won five African American Literary Awards, and he is a cofounder of the Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival. He received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts and now lives in Connecticut. Visit him online at www.jerrycraft.com.


Reviews:

★“Possibly one of the most important graphic novels of the year.” (Booklist (starred review))

★“An engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

★“This is more than a story about being the new kid—it’s a complex examination of the micro- and macroaggressions that Jordan endures from classmates and teachers. Highly recommended for all middle grade shelves.” (School Library Journal (starred review))

Connection: Nice read to introduce students to graphic novels. Who hasn't been the new kid at a school or in a class at one point in our lives? This is a very familiar and easy book to incorporate into the class discourse. It can also bring about how students can make new students feel more comfortable and welcomed when they come into the class. 

Sources:

https://www.amazon.com/New-Kid-Jerry-Craft/dp/0062691198/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=New+Kid+by+Jerry+Craft&qid=1606057440&sr=8-1

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/great-graphic-novels


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