New Kid: A Story About Fitting In, School Diversity, and Friendship

When my kids brought this home from school, I decided to read it alongside them, and I'm really glad I did. "New Kid" tackles the challenge of fitting in and navigating identity with humor and genuine heart - something that resonates with kids but also doesn't talk down to them. What makes this stand out: The graphic novel format is perfect for the middle-grade audience. The illustrations are expressive and actually move the story forward, rather than just decorating the pages. The characters feel authentic - Myles isn't a superhero kid, he's just trying to figure out where he belongs while dealing with real pressures (sports, social expectations, family dynamics). The story itself hits on themes of cultural identity and self-acceptance without being preachy. There's humor that made both my kids and me laugh. The dialogue feels natural, and the visual storytelling means even reluctant readers can follow along and enjoy it. Who this is perfect for: Readers ages 8-14 (though adults can enjoy it too) Kids who are struggling with fitting in or self-confidence Graphic novel fans or kids new to the format Students exploring themes of identity and friendship Minor note: If your child is sensitive about topics around social pressure or peer dynamics, you may want to discuss those elements, but they're handled thoughtfully. Why I'm recommending it: This isn't just a cute book - it actually says something meaningful about childhood and belonging. The art is engaging, the story is honest, and it opens doors for conversations between kids and parents.

Jerry Craft is aptly named–as he has crafted a wonderful and engaging graphic novel about middle school student Jordan Banks, who’s about to enter 7th grade at Riverdale Academy Day School (RAD), an exclusive private school. Truthfully, he’d rather go to Art school. His well-intentioned upwardly mobile parents know this, and they’ve agreed to send him there if, after two years, he decides RAD is not for him. Most of the students at RAD come from families that are wealthier than Jordan’s, and he has a tough time fitting in as the “new kid–there are only a few other Black students at the school, and he experiences some bullying from other students and microaggressions from some of the teachers. He doesn’t enjoy sports, yet he is able to bond with some of his classmates over videogames and other common interests. A minor altercation in the lunch room is about as dramatic as this story gets, but I suspect the book’s target audience will enjoy its authenticity. Jordan is a likeable kid, and this text is a great way to get tweens to think about prejudice and class differences. Highly recommended.

Awesome book, my son needed this book for a class work and he was very excited when he received it , it came in a nice clear back , so the packaging was very nice ! I appreciate it !

Massive congratulations to Jerry Craft for winning the Newbery for New Kid! A graphic novel winning the medal! We are kind of living through a Golden Age of children's fiction, aren't we? It's good to stop every once in a while to just look around and actually notice. It's the whole point of awards.⠀ ⠀ New Kid follows Jordan Banks, a twelve-year-old kid about to start the seventh grade. A budding cartoonist, Jordan wishes for nothing more than to go to art school, but his parents, wishing him to have better opportunities than they had, decide to send him to a more affluent school. A prestigious private school, to be exact. A school where Jordan is one of the few kids of color. Being the new kid is hard enough, but this, in addition to coming from a more modest background than most of his peers, means dealing with a bunch of unwelcome challenges — not least of which being general ignorance and racism — as Jordan just tries to go about his days, trying to figure things out.⠀ ⠀ I really enjoyed New Kid. While I was not a huge fan of the artwork itself, the story and the writing definitely won me over. I really loved — and admired — how it maintained a light and fun tone while also exploring some heavy themes. It's a deceptively casual book in this way. There are depictions of class difference, of code-switching as a person of color, of casual racism and microaggressions, of privilege and lack thereof — and they are all portrayed in the same easy-going manner. Underneath this layer of mellow, though, there's a current of frustration and exasperation that runs all the way through, which makes this casual story lose none of its pointed poignancy. Because being a person of color in this world sometimes means keeping your cool even during the most uncomfortable of times, even if you're a child.⠀ ⠀ But these weighty subjects don't make up the whole of the story. Just as they don't make up the lives of the kids who have to deal with them. One of the central themes in New Kid has to do with Jordan's frustration with books about kids of color being extremely limited in scope: books about white kids can be about anything and still expected to be relatable; books about black kids can only be about Serious Issues and are expected to be read only by black kids. Books about white kids can be fun; books about black kids have to be severe and gritty. Jordan thinks this is extremely unfair nonsense. Because, yes, while kids like him may have to deal with more complicated situations than most others — at the end of the day they're also... just kids. Normal and goofy and beautiful and awkward and nerdy and clever kids who would love to do nothing more than just live and have fun and be happy and to see other kids like them doing likewise. This doesn't mean that books about Serious Issues are not important, only that reality is far more complex, and stories about said reality should reflect it accordingly. Because representation is important. This is what Jerry Craft does with New Kid, and does it elegantly. It's my favorite aspect of this story. ⠀ It's also a book that's just funny and clever, which is what instantly hooks you. Jordan and his group of friends are instantly likeable and relatable. The art, as I said, wasn't my favorite, but Craft's storytelling is clear and concise, and the book has great pacing because of it.⠀ ⠀ It's another one of those books I wish I could give to my younger self. Which is something I often find myself saying about a lot of the kid's books I've recently read. I think that's an inevitable thought to have, though, as someone who spent their childhood reading nothing much at all, after reading a particularly great children's book. There's a sense of deprivation — of having missed out — and wanting to go back and fix that. It's bittersweet, but in a positive way, you know?⠀ ⠀ I digress. ⠀ ⠀ New Kid is a fine book. And it deserved to win the Newbery. And I can't wait to see what that means for the future of graphic novels and children's fiction in general.

Jordan Banks is the new kid at one of the best private schools in the state that offers a wealth of academic and extra-curricular opportunities and experiences for its students and while its prestige is praiseworthy, it is woefully lacking in diversity. Jordan is one of a small number of students of color at the school but just like every other twelve-year-old middle school student has to navigate making new friends, avoiding awkward crushes, getting good grades, and making time to do what he loves most-drawing cartoons. His art is embedded throughout the text and gives the reader an inside look at Jordan’s thoughts on well, just about everything. His drawings are informative, oftentimes laugh-out-loud hilarious, and honest. There’s a gaping void as it concerns the representation of African American youths in books in general across all genres but especially in graphic novels. Jerry Craft expertly enters into this space and gifts us with New Kid. It is a relevant read. A cool, down-to-earth middle school story for everyone. I want to hug this book! I want to read it over and over and then wrap it up and give a copy to every child I know. No doubt that Jerry Craft upholds his mission to “write the books he wishes he had when he was a kid” because this is the sort of book I wish I’d had as a child. No offense to The Baby-Sitters Club series from back in my day, but what about books with characters that look like me and share in my experiences? I would have loved a book like this! I would recommend this book for intermediate elementary students (4th-5th grade), middle school and high school too. I honestly think it will have a wide range of interest much like books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amulet, Sisters, and Drama that are read from elementary school straight through high school.

If you have a child that grew up reading every single Dog Man book written, but they've aged out of them these type of graphic novels are an awesome way to level up and keep your tween reading. Lightly introduces children to racial stereotyping and the possible outcomes of that situation. My son read this in 1 week and wants to start the next.

I struggle to review “New Kid” by Jerry Craft without acknowledging my lack of familiarity with the genre. It marks the first time that a graphic novel has won the Newbery Medal and you will first marvel at the amazing artwork. In a compliment (that doesn’t sound like one) to the author, it actually sounds as if it were written by an adolescent. He seems to know how they speak. Some of the themes are as old as time (“sections of the cafeteria”, getting lost, making new friends) while others, especially the racial micro-aggressions, seem spot-on and fresh. We have all heard from several that too many bring up race but “New Kid” shows you the obnoxious little things one encounters. (“Your mom’s tacos must be better”, mixing up the names of all of the black kids and staff, and “What are you, anyway?” come to mind). Still, Craft has some really smart observations to make, like the weird pressure to make a friendship with the other black kids even though they have nothing in common. In that regard, the white people come off as well-meaning and nervous so I appreciate the honesty; nonetheless, nothing is preachy and the subtle insensitivity never results in a big dramatic even, only odd thoughts. Why do the characters use race to decide what gifts to buy for the Secret Santa? Shouldn’t we dig deeper? “New Kid” probably has a solid idea of how each character would react to the private school situation: Dad feels like he is not enough in the face of Jordan’s rich friends, the wealthy kids think that people resent them for their extravagance, and Jordan struggles to reconnect with the boys from the neighborhood. In the land of #OscarsSoWhite, I am happy that no one will accuse those who select book awards of shutting out certain ethnic groups. Other perspectives should interest us as much as those with whom we identify. Jordan Banks is as identifiable character as you will meet in literature.

Bueno

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Jordan Banks is transferred to a new school and is struggling to adapt to the new environment. His school has only few students of color and he is trying to see where he fits in. He sees things(the micro aggressions especially) and we can see his thoughts and views through his drawings. This book not only highlights Banks, it also shows us how Jordan who studies on a financial aid is being teased both for his color and his status. Then there is Drew who stood up to a racist teacher. And with Liam and Alexa, this book gives us a beautiful thought provoking story. I've never read any book like this. Highly recommend!

I taught New Kid and its sequel Class Act to my Year 6 students this past Autumn term. All of my students loved it - so much so that they begged to follow up with Class Act as soon as we finished New Kid. Our school has diversity among staff members but not among students, and this gave them both insight and empathy into what it's like to feel singled out among your peers for your appearance alone. We also appreciated Jerry Craft's biography and FAQ on his website in which he details how New Kid is semi-autobiographical based on his experiences both as a student and as a parent of students in a predominantly white school. Highly recommend.

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