New Kid earned its awards by doing something deceptively hard: making a book about serious racial dynamics feel like a story kids actually want to read. Jerry Craft uses humor, art, and genuine middle school messiness to explore what it's like to be one of the few Black students at a wealthy private school.

The graphic novel format is clutch here—it keeps the pacing visual and digestible even when Jordan's dealing with teachers who mix him up with other Black students or classmates who make assumptions about where he lives. Some reviewers find it slow or overly familiar, and fair—this isn't a plot-twist page-turner. It's more of a year-in-the-life that builds empathy through accumulation.

For families wanting to talk about race, belonging, and navigating spaces where you're 'different,' this is gold. For kids who've lived it, it's validating. For kids who haven't, it's a window. Just know it's more enriching than entertaining, though Jordan's art and internal commentary keep it from feeling like homework.