Cover of New Kid

New Kid

by Jerry Craft · Grades 4–8 · Middle Grade Graphic Novel

New Kid by Jerry Craft is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. It appears on 18 lists: 1 state standards document and 17 book-award lists, across 20 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 8–13 · Grades 4–8 · 256 pages. Content notes: microaggressions, discussion of racism (Common Sense Media: 9+). The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780062691194). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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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 MedalPacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice AwardMaine Student Book AwardIowa Children's Choice Award+13 more

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.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range
Grades 4–8See the list:4th5th6th7th8th
Listed most for
6th grade (24 of 114 cited list rows)
Age range
Ages 8–13
Pages
256
Reading time
about 4h 40m (est.)
First published
2019
Genre
Middle Grade Graphic Novel
ISBN-13
9780062691194

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-07-07; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 6?

If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.

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

More formats & details

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Listen to New Kid

The unabridged audiobook runs 1 hr 58 min, narrated by Jesus Del Orden, Nile Bullock and Robin Miles.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (18)
Awards won
  • Newbery Medal, 2020 (source: Wikipedia)
  • Coretta Scott King Author Award, 2020 (source: Wikipedia)
On award reading lists

and 11 more in where it is taught

Named in curriculum frameworks
  • Common Core State Standards (ELA) (source: nysed.gov)
Catalog record
First published 2019 · 256 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

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

Why widely assigned

This middle grade graphic novel title is typically read at grades 4–8. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on race and identity and code-switching; cited on 18 lists: 1 state standards document and 17 book-award lists.

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

New Kid by the numbers: pages, reading time and where it is listed, on Book Statistics.

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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. It appears on 18 school reading lists across 20 states, from grade 3 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.
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 Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Common Core State Standards (ELA), 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 7 states (FL, IA, OK, PA, TN, TX, WI) 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.

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 the curriculum sources cited on this page.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 18 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 1 state's ELA framework or DOE list, and on state book-award lists in 19 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 7 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, read-aloud.

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