This book deserves all the love it has been getting. Last Monday it was officially the first Graphic Novel to win the Newbery award for the best book written for young readers. Jordan Banks really wants to be an artist, but his parents want him to learn to live in the “white” world. How to code switch, the norms of society for the upper crust that they don’t teach in the “black” school. So he is one of the new kids at this elite prep school and things are very different. There is more homework and the classes are harder. There are other black kids at school but not many, and white privilege is everywhere. Between the teacher that can not be bothered to call him by his name, and the students who call him Oreo, it is a new life that is hard to fit into.

This book is so nuanced. From how it shows multiple kids not fitting in, to how it talks about wealth and “financial aid”, to even the dynamics around race and differences. It covers a lot of weighty subjects in a manner that is easy to understand. It also has you questioning the small things in life that affect a POC in a different way than others.

This book was FANTASTIC. I can not wait to see what the author does next.