April's Book of the Month--New Kid

Hello! I sincerely hope everyone out there is doing okay during this crazy time.

April’s Book of the Month is NEW KID, this year’s Newbery-winning graphic novel by Jerry Craft.

Twelve-year-old Jordan Banks always feels like he’s "falling without a parachute.” He loves to draw, and badly wants to go to art school, but his mom is determined to send him to “one of the best schools in the entire state,” a private school that “looks like Harvard or something.” Unfortunately, there’s a decided lack of diversity at Riverdale Academy, and Jordan and the few other kids—and teachers--of color are subjected to plenty of frustrating moments. But Jordan hangs in there, and learns a lot about navigating the world outside his own neighborhood of Washington Heights.

In Jordan, Craft has created a terrific character, one who’s honest and determined to make the best of a situation that’s not of his choosing. The graphic novel format works perfectly with Jordan’s own love of cartooning, and drawings from his sketchbook are sprinkled throughout the story. NEW KID is a quick and insightful read, and goes a long way towards helping skeptics how understand comics and graphic novels are award-worthy literature, too.

If you haven’t read NEW KID yet, don’t miss it!

--Lynn