“Take that extra second. Learn someone’s name. Have a conversation. Look them in the eye.” – Jerry Craft
New Kid by Jerry Craft is an honest portrayal of the struggles of being in middle school, being the new kid and being one of only a few black kids in a school of predominantly privileged white kids. This graphic novel takes you on an illustrated journey of twelve-year old Jordan Bank’s seventh grade year, from the first day to the last, of being the new kid.
Jordan loves art and uses his sketch book to express and reflect on his life through cartoon drawings. He dreams of going to art school. But his parents see differently and thus enroll him in an academically prestigious private school. Traveling daily between his Washington Heights apartment and his new upscale private school, Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan finds himself trying to stay true to himself while navigating two different worlds, neither of which he truly fits into. Although Jordan is not thrilled about going to a new school and is challenged by the cultural shock of being in an upper-class private school he manages to make friends and discovers that Riverdale isn’t that bad. Jordan, by his last day, finds balance between his two worlds.
Throughout this book Jordan endures micro and macroaggressions from both his classmates and teachers—from racially stereotypical Christmas gifts and book recommendations from the school’s librarian to his white classmates and teachers constantly calling him by the wrong name. These may not be intentional actions but are still actions that display a racial bias. Too often people don’t realize they are doing anything wrong. As Jordan’s understanding of his new environment grows, his tolerance for these actions shortens. He is pushed to stand up for himself and others, challenging the systemic racism and classism of his school. Jordan encourages his fellow classmates to look beyond differences and see each other for who they are as people.
New Kid is a mixture of serious and tough issues with lighter moments relatable to all middle schoolers. Issues such as racism, elitism, disparities in socioeconomics and white privilege are all presented in a way that can be understood by a young audience. This book is filled with life lessons and teachable moments that are not just for young readers. Adult readers, too, will be encouraged to be more socially conscious.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to find books featuring black protagonists that kids today can relate to and that somewhat mirrors their everyday reality. I implore anyone that has or knows of a young person in middle school to share this book with them. It is a timely book that will entertain, engage and enlighten all readers.
New Kid
Jerry Craft, author, illustrator
New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2019] Formats: Book, eAudiobook, eBook
After his parents send him to a prestigious private school known for its academics, Jordan Banks finds himself torn between two worlds.
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