New Kid

Jordan Banks loves to draw and would much rather go to art school, but his parents enroll him at Riverdale Academy Day School, an expensive private school where he is one of the few students of color. Each day he travels from his home in Washington Heights to a campus where classmates and even teachers make assumptions about him, mix him up with other Black students and misread who he is. Jordan fills his sketchbook with sharp, funny observations as he tries to make friends, keep in touch with his old neighborhood and find a place where he fits. This full-color graphic novel balances everyday middle school comedy with honest moments about race, money and belonging. It suits readers about 8 to 12, and it is a natural pick for fans of comics and school stories.