Craft, Jerry. School Trip. Jerry Craft, Illus. New Kid Series. Quill Tree, 04/2023. 256pp. Graphic. GRADES 6 – 8. $24.99. 978-0-06-288554-8. Paper $14.99. 978-0-06-288553-1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
In his final weeks of junior high, African American Jordan contemplates his future – either art school, where he will be surrounded by people who “get” him, or staying on at his ritzy private school, where he’s no longer the new kid. A class trip to Paris, with friends and frenemies, is the perfect opportunity to reflect on both the importance of getting outside one’s comfort zone and on the fact that getting what one wants may not always be what one needs. B&w cartoon musings, seemingly taken from Jordan’s sketch book, are interspersed among the colorful cartoon panels and clean lines that tell the story of the diverse group’s adventures in Paris. While lots of topics are covered, from socioeconomic inequity to racially insensitive bullying, Craft keeps the mood positive and kid-centered. A focus on Ramón, the lone Hispanic classmate, and panels devoted to Samira, a Muslim classmate, broadens the group of core characters and provides opportunities for all the characters to evolve. A few clunky lines of dialog feel more adult than tween, but don’t distract from an otherwise enjoyable and insightful series installment. Reviewed from an ARC.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired