New Kid by Jerry Craft | Book Summary | Newbery Medal Winner

Описание: Twelve-year-old Jordan Banks begins seventh grade at The Riverdale Academy Tadpoles (The RAD Tads), feeling the heavy gravity of being the new kid. Jordan, an artist, uses his sketchbook like a shield to capture observations, titling the beginning of his journey "The War of Art". His life is now dominated by the commute ("The Road to Riverdale – There and Back Again") and the intense social pressure he documents in his drawings, labeling the experience of social survival "The Hungry Games: Stop Mocking J". Jordan notices detailed social rules, including a guide on handshakes, warning never to give a "dead fish" handshake. The cafeteria seating reflects a hierarchy where senior athletes are "Lions" and Jordan’s group, seventh and eighth graders, are the "Toenail Fungus," forced to sit by the drafty doorway and trash cans. Jordan must either join a team or go out for the musical. He quickly determines he cannot sing and dreads the idea of football. Reviewing alternatives like volleyball and competitive yoga, he settles on soccer. His friend Liam assures him he has all he needs—a pair of feet—to succeed on one of the five available teams. Jordan resolves to channel his artistic observations into navigating Riverdale's expectations