The American Library Association (ALA) and "NBC Chicago Today’s" Banned Book Club will discuss Jerry Craft’s award-winning graphic novel, "New Kid," on Tuesday, February 27.
"New Kid" focuses on the experience of being Black and the "new kid" at a predominantly white private school, following 12-year-old Jordan Banks as he navigates culture shock, microaggressions, friendships, and more in his new environment. The winner of the Newbery Medal, a Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize, "New Kid" has been challenged in some schools across the U.S. for “promoting critical race theory.”
“We know that most banned books are about people of color and LGBTQIA+ themes,” said Maria McCauley, director of libraries for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in a conversation with Kwani Lunis and Hannah Donnelly from NBC Boston's "The Hub Today," a Banned Book Club partner. “We want to make sure that—especially folks who are marginalized—that their works are amplified.”
“All the content in [New Kid] is great content to explore,” McCauley said. “This is just a beautiful piece of literature [with] gorgeous illustrations. We should all be reading this book.”
"New Kid" will be discussed during a live chat on ALA's Facebook page Tuesday, February 27, at 1:30 p.m. CT. Join us for the discussion!
The Banned Book Club, which began in early 2023, has expanded to additional NBC markets across the U.S. since its debut, with NBC Los Angeles’ "California Live" and NBC Boston’s "The Hub Today" joining the efforts to help promote the right to read.
Watch the book reveal on "The Hub Today" below!
