New Kid by Jerry Craft 

Genre

Newberry Medal Winner

Target Age Group

8-12 years, 3-8 grade

Summary

New Kid follows a boy named Jordan as he is entering a prestigious private school for his 7th grade year. After Jordan discovers that his new school is lacking diversity, Jordan grapples with fitting in, making friends, and staying true to himself and his culture.  

Justification for Choosing

I selected this book because it won the John Newberry Medal in 2020. This book has received tremendous praise from readers and was highly recommend by the children’s librarians at the public library I work at. The combination of these two factors heavily influenced my decision to read this story and include it in my blog. 

Evaluation

For this review, I will be evaluating the book's plot, characters, and illustrations. 

Plot: 

New Kid features a relatable plot for middle-grade readers as it follows the main character, Jordan, as he tries to fit in at a new school. The book has a fast-paced narrative that keeps readers engaged, and it being in a graphic novel format adds to the excitement. Jordan's experiences and challenges are easy for kids to connect with, especially for those who are struggling to be accepted while staying true to their culture. The combination of a compelling storyline and eye-catching visuals ensures that the story will captivate readers from start to finish. The story provides entertainment and valuable insights as Jordan goes through the process of adjusting to a new environment that is lacking in diversity.

Characters: 

This story features relatable characters, particularly the protagonist Jordan, who isn't sure how to handle the new school he has been thrown into. Jordan knows he wants to make friends and avoid confrontation, but this is proving to be more complicated than he expected. The characters in this story are complex and well-developed through the novel's exposition and illustrations. Jordan's journey navigating friendship and conflict resonates with readers of all ages, especially with those who have struggled with fitting in. Readers who have had different experiences from Jordan can still empathize with his emotions as the book encourages readers to consider new perspectives. The combination of the detailed character exposition and expressive artwork brings the characters to life, and readers can easily see how the characters develop over the span of the novel. 

Illustrations: 

The illustrations in New Kid are detailed and expressive as they strengthen the story’s plot and characters. This graphic novel uses a simplistic, but detailed illustration style that is perfect for children who can become distracted by overly detailed images. The illustrations in this book are integral to the story’s development as the characters emotions are often expressed on their faces. Additionally, the setting of the story comes to life through the illustrations as the reader is able to visualize how large the school actually is. The story jumps in time frequently, and the illustrations are key for the reader to understand how much time has passed and what the setting of the story currently is. 

Overall Rating: 5/5

References 

Craft, J. (2019). New Kid (J. Craft, Illus.). Quill Tree Books.