New Kid

Bibliography: Craft, J. (2019). New Kid. Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN: 978-7-544-43519-0

Plot Summary: Twelve-year-old Jordan is moved to a private school known for its rigorous academic program. He is initially unhappy with the move as he had wanted to go to art school.  As one of the few students of color at his new school, Jordan undergoes not only the trials and tribulations of most preteens, but also those of a minority student in a mostly white school.  Jordan has to find where he fits in in this new environment.

Critical Analysis: Craft takes on not only the issues of being a preteen, but also that of black identity.  He illustrates Jordan's search for identity in a new school in an authentic way. When taking the bus to his new schools, we see how Jordan tries to fit in to his surroundings by wearing his hood, taking it off, sitting slumped, sitting straight, drawing in his sketchbook or sitting quietly. Jordan tries to find people like him, other black students, and soon finds that if he is himself, friends can come from any background: black or white, rich or poor. Craft uses classic comic book panels and a basic color palette which allow us to focus on the characters and not the background. Both funny and impactful, this book was well deserving of its accolades.

Reviews:

Kirkus Reviews: "An engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America."

New York Times: "As a realistic graphic novel starring a kid of color, “New Kid” is a desperately needed addition to middle-grade library collections everywhere."

Awards:

Newbery Medal, 2020

Coretta Scott King Award, 2020

Kirkus Prize, 2020

Connections:

Use in a high school Sociology class to discuss issues of race and identity.  Have students create a journal entry describing their own coming of age and how their environment contributed to their sense of self. 

Use in any Art class and have students create an abstract work similar to that of Jordan's Art class, using colors and shapes to display emotion. 


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