The 2020 Saratoga Reads! Junior Companion Book Choice Announcement
New Kid, a graphic novel by Jerry Craft, about an African-American middle-schooler from Washington Heights who finds himself feeling out of place at a fancy and decidedly un-diverse private school at the other end of the city, is the 2020 SaratogaREADS! Junior Companion title.
In 2019, Saratoga Springs Public Library was the second in the state to be Certified Sustainable by the New York Library Association by meeting rigorous standards for environmental, fiscal, and social responsibility. This year’s SaratogaREADS! selections expand on conversations from the previous two seasons, which took place while undergoing the sustainability certification process, and we hope they will spark and amplify discussions in our community about inclusion and belonging.
New Kid, a graphic novel by Jerry Craft, about an African-American middle-schooler from Washington Heights who finds himself feeling out of place at a fancy and decidedly un-diverse private school at the other end of the city, is the 2020 SaratogaREADS! Junior Companion. Jordan wants to go to art school, but instead his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school, where he is a fish-out-of-water as one of the few kids of color. As he struggles to adapt to his new surroundings, he finds it harder to fit in with his neighborhood friends. Humorous, heartbreaking, and delightfully drawn, New Kid invites discussion of privilege and acceptance.