New Kid review by the Hobbit. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Read the Book New Kid:
Book: New Kid (find our review of the sequel Class Act HERE!)
Author and Illustrator: Jerry Craft (Color by Callahan)
Pages: 249
Published: 2019
Age Suggestion: 8+
Warnings: None
Quick Summary: Jordan’s parents have enrolled him at a prep school known for its academics. He would really have preferred art school – but instead he leaves his neighborhood school behind to begin seventh grade. He has a lot to navigate – all of the normal problems of middle school, finding new friends, bullying, pressure to do well. On top of all of this Jordan is one of only a few kids of color at the school. Will Jordan be able to handle all of the problems that come with being the new kid?
New Kid Review
**Spoilers Beyond this Point**
Accolades first. This is the first graphic novel to win the prestigious Newbery, and it is well deserved. I believe almost all kids will be able to relate to Jordan and it will bring back memories for a lot of adults. I think I first knew this on page 8, when Jordan goes over his dad’s rules for shaking hands ( “the firmer the grip, the more people will respect you” is one). Craft is clever with the chapter titles, making references to books and movies such as the chapter in the school cafeteria being called “The Hungry Games”.
The book explores a number of themes well, and I believe that it accurately represents how kids feel at this stage in their life. There are a number of good books that address this crucial time in kid’s lives and this is one of them (another one other is All’s Faire in Middle School). New Kid explores, in particular, the stress that comes at this age from the different economic backgrounds that kids come from. And not only does Jordan have all of the normal stresses that accompany middle school, he is one of the few kids of color at his new school. He is dealing with how that works, with old friends and with new ones. This is all resolved with lots of space for discussion. The artwork is impressive, there are many humorous moments, and the book should appeal to a variety of ages.
New Kid Discussion Questions:
- Which character in the book do you identify with the most? Why?
- Have you ever struggled to fit in? How were your experiences like Jordan’s and not like Jordan’s?
- If you had to choose between a sport and being in a school musical which would you choose? Why?
- How does Jordan handle the impacts of race on his friendships?
- How do you handle having a new kid at your school?
- Which of the many pressures that Jordan faced can you most relate to?
New Kid Faith Moments:
Family is a high priority for Jordan and his parents. The book shows his parents struggling with making the decisions on school because they truly want what is best for Jordan. Although there are no specific mentions of faith, Jordan and his parents operate in the type of love for each other that is a good example for all families.
If you liked our New Kid review,
check out our other graphic novel reviews:
*Our New Kid sequel Class Act review with discussion questions!
–Lord of the Fleas
–Fetch 22
–For Whom the Ball Rolls
–Brawl of the Wild
–Unicorn Rescue Society
Down The Hobbit Hole Blog and this New Kid review post use affiliate links, we only link products we think you’ll like and you are never charged extra for them. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. We also use cookies to gather analytics and present advertisements. This allows us to keep writing discussion questions and telling ridiculous dad jokes. Find our other reviews with discussion questions here. Our posts about faith here. And our posts about family stuff here.