Cover of New Kid

New Kid

by Jerry Craft

Among the most widely assigned — 18 curriculum lists · 20 states

#7 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 20 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Newbery MedalMaine Student Book AwardIowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA)Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award+13 more

New Kid by Jerry Craft is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. It appears across 18 curriculum references and 20 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where New Kid is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range
Grades 4–8
Age range
Ages 8–13
Pages
256
Reading time
about 4h 40m (est.)
First published
2019
Genre
Middle Grade Graphic Novel
ISBN-13
9780062691194

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

Jordan Banks, one of the few Black kids at a prestigious private school, navigates microaggressions and identity in the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal (2020). The book has been widely assigned in 5th-7th grade ELA and is also among the most-challenged graphic novels in US schools per PEN America's index, frequently cited for its discussion of race.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like New Kid→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Graphic Novel title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on race and identity and code-switching; cited across 18 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

race and identity · code-switching · middle school adjustment · graphic narrative · private vs public school · friendship

Content notes

microaggressions · discussion of racism

Common Sense Media recommends age 9+.

Where this book is assigned

Show 12 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is New Kid?
New Kid is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read New Kid?
It takes about 4h 40m to read New Kid (256 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 280 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign New Kid?
New Kid appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Common Core State Standards (ELA), Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award, and 15 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is New Kid banned in schools?
New Kid has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 5 states (FL, IA, OK, TN, TX) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
What themes does New Kid explore?
Central themes in New Kid include race and identity, code-switching, middle school adjustment, graphic narrative, private vs public school. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 4–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 18 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 20 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 5 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.

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