New Kid

New Kid

About the Book

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, 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.

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?

Universal Pictures has acquired film rights to New Kid, with LeBron James’ The Spring Hill Company on board to develop and produce. Craft will be an Executive Producer.

Winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal
Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Award
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Winner of the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature
Finalist for Audie Award – Middle Grade Book of the Year
San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller
Indie Bestseller for Early & Middle Grade Readers
One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Middle Grade Books of 2019
New England Independent Booksellers Association Best Children’s Book of 2019
New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association 2019 Book of the Year for Middle Readers
Top 10 Spring 2019 Indie Next List Pick
Amazon Best Book of the Month, Ages 9-12
2019 Harvey Award for Best Children’s Book Nominee
One of Booklist’s 2019 Top 10 Diverse Fiction for Youth
One of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Children’s Books, Spring 2019
#1 Indie Comics & Graphic Works Bestseller
One of the Best Graphic Novels of 2019 – School Library Journal
One of the 5 Best Fiction Books of 2019 – Washington Post
One of the Best Graphic Novels of 2019 – Washington Post
2020 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children – Honor Book
One of the Best Books of the Year – Time.com
Best Books of 2019 – New York Public Library
Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2019 – Chicago Public Library
25 Best Children’s Books of 2019 – New York Times
Best Multicultural Children’s Books of 2019 – Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature
The Best New Gift Books for Kids – People

Reviews

“Funny, sharp, and totally real! Jordan Banks is the kid everyone will be talking about!”
—Jeff Kinney, Author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

New Kid is at once tender and tough, funny and heartbreaking. Hand this to the middle-grade reader in your life right away.”
The New York Times Book Review

“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)

“Award-winning author/illustrator Jerry Craft confronts elitism, microaggression, racism, socioeconomic disparity and white privilege in a familiar setting… Presented in predominantly full-color, richly saturated panels, Craft distinguishes Jordan’s sketchbook entries in black-and-white pencil drawings, their stark simplicity underscoring their uncomplicated wisdom…. Preteen audiences will undoubtedly recognize and empathize with Craft’s memorable cast.”
Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

“This engaging story offers an authentic secondary cast and captures the high jinks of middle schoolers and the tensions that come with being a person of color in a traditionally white space.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Genuine characters propel this funny, warm, biting, fearless story. Entertaining and insightful, it will surely offer affirmation for some readers, revelation for others.”
—Cooperative Children’s Book Center

“Craft’s full-color comics art is dynamic and expressive, generously adorned by emojis, arrows, and imaginative elements such as the small winged cherubs who frequently hover over Jordan’s shoulders; each chapter is introduced by a witty, foreshadowing double-page spread. This school story stands out as a robust, contemporary depiction of a preteen navigating sometimes hostile spaces yet staying true to himself thanks to friends, family, and art.”
The Horn Book Magazine

Listen to Audio Excerpt

Meet the Cast

Jesus del Orden as Jordan
Peyton Lusk as LIam & Grayson
Phoebe Strole as Ashley & Kirsten
Dan Bittner as Andy & Graham
Nile Bullock as Drew
Rebecca Soler as Alexandra & Ruby
Miles Harvey as Kirk & Collin
Robin Miles as Mom & Ms. Rawle

Video

Resources

Teaching Guide