In this companion book to New Kid this time it’s Jordan’s friend Drew who takes center stage in a story about being one of the few kids of color in a prestigious private school.
Eighth grader Drew Ellis is no stranger to the saying “You have to work twice as hard to be just as good.” His grandmother has reminded him his entire life. But what if he works ten times as hard and still isn’t afforded the same opportunities that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted?
To make matters worse, Drew begins to feel as if his good friend Liam might be one of those privileged kids. He wants to pretend like everything is fine, but it's hard not to withdraw, and even their mutual friend Jordan doesn't know how to keep the group together.
As the pressures mount, will Drew find a way to bridge the divide so he and his friends can truly accept each other? And most important, will he finally be able to accept himself?
The series
Middle school is hard enough without having to feel like an outsider in every hallway. That’s the quiet current running beneath the New Kid series—a graphic novel journey that doesn’t just speak to young readers, but listens to them.
Read full series description
Told through expressive panels and a voice that feels refreshingly real, this coming-of-age story centers on Jordan Banks, a kid who loves drawing more than just about anything. When he ends up at a prestigious private school far from his Washington Heights neighborhood, Jordan finds himself juggling two worlds: one that looks polished on the outside and another that feels like home—but where he’s starting to feel invisible.
What sets this series apart isn’t just its humor or sharply observed characters—it’s the way it handles big themes with a light but steady hand. Identity, race, class, and the pressure to fit in all unfold organically through the lens of friendship, awkward lunch tables, and moments of silent resilience. Readers aren’t told how to feel—they’re invited to see and feel it for themselves.
Rather than framing difference as conflict, the series explores what it means to belong without losing yourself. It’s a narrative that challenges assumptions, celebrates creativity, and makes space for quiet voices to be heard. Through New Kid and its companion Class Act, readers follow not just one boy’s journey—but a shared, often unspoken experience many kids know all too well.
With its sharp dialogue, heartfelt storytelling, and art that captures everything from a side-eye glance to a gut-punch moment, this is more than a school story. It’s a graphic novel series that reshapes how we talk about growing up—and who gets to be seen in those stories.
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