New Kid #1 : New Kid

New Kid

Literary Awards: Newbery Medal (2020), Garden State Book Award for Graphic Novels (2022), Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award for Grades 6-8 (2021), Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Nominee (2021), Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author (2020), Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (2022), NAIBA Book of the Year for Middle Grade (2019), CYBILS Award for Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels (2019), Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature (2019), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade & Children's (2019), NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book (2020), Mark Twain Readers Award Nominee (2022), Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2021).

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves drawing cartoons about his life—but starting middle school isn’t turning out the way he imagined. Instead of attending an art school, Jordan is enrolled at a prestigious private academy known for its academics, where he is one of the few kids of colour in his entire grade.

Travelling every day from his Washington Heights neighbourhood to the upscale Riverdale Academy, Jordan finds himself caught between two very different worlds—never quite fitting into either. As he navigates friendships, expectations, and school culture, Jordan must figure out how to stay true to himself without losing the people and passions he loves.

With humour, heart, and honesty, bestselling cartoonist Jerry Craft explores identity, belonging, racism, and microaggressions through an engaging full-colour graphic novel. New Kid is a powerful and relatable story for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider—and a must-read for middle-grade readers navigating the challenges of school and self-discovery.

Keywords: New Kid Jerry Craft, New Kid graphic novel, middle grade graphic novels, books about identity for kids, diverse children’s books, graphic novels for tweens, award winning kids books