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“New Kid” Becomes the First Graphic Novel to Win The John Newbery Medal

By | January 27th, 2020
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John Newbery Medal

Jerry Craft’s “New Kid” has become the first ever graphic novel to win the John Newbery Medal in the award’s 90-year history. The accolade was presented at the Youth Media Awards ceremony in the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting by the Association for Library Service to Children.

“New Kid” follows Jordan Banks, a black student at an overwhelmingly white private school as he tries to find a place in this new environment. The novel looks at belonging, as Jordan reconciles with his incongruent racial identity and seemingly unattainable life goals. It ran alongside other nominees like Alicia D. Williams’s Genesis Begins Again, Jasmine Warga’s Other Words For Home, Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes, and Kwame Alexander’s The Undefeated.

The Newbery is a prestigious literary prize awarded annually to an outstanding piece of children’s literature. It is named for John Newbery, the 18th century publisher who first cemented a market for children’s books. Previous winners include Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe, Clare Vanderpool’s Moon Over Manifest, and Matt De La Pena’s Last Stop on Market Street.

“New Kid” also won the Coretta Scott King Book Award, an award for African-American writers of children’s literature. The book was previously nominated for the Harvey Award for Best Children’s or Young Adult Book, and won the 2019 Kirkus Prize last October.


James Dowling

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