Napa County Reads

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

Want to Read “New Kid”?
“New Kid” is available from local independent bookstore Napa Bookmine, Amazon and Audible. Napa County students can also access through OverDrive.

About Jerry Craft

Jerry Craft is an author and illustrator who has worked on numerous picture books, graphic novels, and middle grade novels for publishers such as HarperCollins, Scholastic, Benchmark, Pearson and his own publishing company, Mama’s Boyz, Inc. His newest book, New Kid (HarperCollins), is a middle grade graphic novel that has earned four starred reviews, including one from Booklist magazine that called it “Possibly one of the most important graphic novels of the year.” Kirkus Reviews called it “An engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America.”

Napa County Reads Teacher Resources Page (external website, new window)

New Kid Art Projects

The Napa County Reads Committee invites Napa County students to share their art and writing at the community event for Jerry Craft and New Kid on January 24, 2020.

Items can be delivered to the theater the day of the event. To make arrangements contact Mary Smartt. Items displayed on trifold display boards or poster board are best. Please put student’s names, grade and school on the project (back is fine).

Students will have many of their own ideas about how to respond to this book. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. The book motivates students to want to write their own comics. There are many single page comic templates available online or students can draw their own. Possible topics include: Middle School Superhero, New Kid 2, (what happens next), Embarrassing Middle School Moments, How I Changed my Perspective or any student generated ideas.

2. Create a collage about the book. Use the elements of graphic novels to share favorite quotes along with opinions. Use speech bubbles, thought bubbles and noise graphics.

3. Study Jordan’s sketchbook pages. Talk about what they have in common and then draw your own.

Teacher Resources as separate links:

In the Key of Books (external website, new window)
Links to resources, discussion of themes

Jerry Craft (external website, new window)
Author site, video, teacher resources

TeachingBooks.net (external website, new window)
There are many excellent resources here. Check out the vocabulary list. Teachers can log in with your school email.

Teaching Strategies (external website, new window)
Teaching strategies for graphic novels

Critical Thinking (external website, new window)
How Graphic Novels Help Develop Critical Skills

Graphic Novel Guide (external website, new window)
Scholastic Guide to Graphic Novels

Children’s Book Corner (external website, new window)
Lots of information and teaching ideas from a literacy specialist.

New Kid Guide (external website, new window)
Discussion Guide from publisher

Teachers Pay Teachers (external website, new window)
The Teachers Pay Teachers group has many graphic novel templates. They are inexpensive and single license.

Common Sense Media Comics (external website, new window)
Common Sense Media list of classroom friendly apps for creating graphic novels.

Napa County Reads, coordinated by the Napa County Office of Education, is a coalition of educators and community members dedicated to improving the reading experiences of students throughout Napa County with an emphasis on middle schools. Each year the Committee selects a book which is read in the fall, followed by special events that include a visit from the author. The community is invited to join students in reading the selected book and attending the author events.

Teachers – Do you want your class to participate? Contact Napa County Reads Coordinator.

Thanks to our Generous Napa County Reads Partners

10. Kick off your school year with a great book.
9. Assist students in getting excited about reading.
8. Tackle Common Core Standards.
7. Go wide with interdisciplinary activities and PBL.
6. Follow through on character education.
5. Create space for coachable/teachable moments.
4. Stretch out with technology and social media.
3. Engage your students in exciting community activities to celebrate each year’s selection (and meet the author!)
2. Your district has given you approval to go forward.
1. No Pressure!

“Refugee”, by Alan Gratz

• Teacher Tools for Refugee (external website, new window)
• Supplemental Media for Refugee (external website, new window)
• Virtual Reality Links for Refugee (external website, new window)
• Student Art Project Information PDF (new window)

2003: Francisco Jimenez, The Circuit

2004: Joyce Maynard, The Cloud Chamber

2005: Walter Dean Myers, Fallen Angels

2006: Francisco Jimenez, Breaking Through

2007: Gennifer Choldenko, Al Capone Does My Shirts

2008: Audrey Shafer, The Mailbox

2009: Francisco Jimenez, Reaching Out

2010: Lynn Hazen, Shifty

2011: Suzanne Morgan, Williams Bull Rider

2012: Andrea Montalbano, Breakaway

2013: Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

2014: N.H. Senzai, Shooting Kabul

2014: Peter Menzel/Faith D’Aluisio, Hungry Planet

2015: Francisco Jimenez, Selected Biographies

2016: S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

2017: Chris Grabenstein, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

2019: Alan Gratz, Refugee