Jerry Craft and his New Kid graphic novel make history.
The School Library Journal reports:
History was made at the 2020 Youth Media Awards in Philadelphia. A graphic novel has won the John Newbery Medal for the first time in its nearly 100-year history [emphasis added] as Jerry Craft earned the honor for New Kid.
The Caldecott Medal went to The Undefeatedwith illustrations by Kadir Nelson.
The Printz Medal was awarded to A.S. King for Dig.But it was Craft and graphic novels’ big day.
“A graphic novel **WINS** THE NEWBERY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!!! @JerryCraft, my hat is off to you!!!!! #alama #graphicnovelsFTW,” fellow graphic novel author Raina Telgemeier tweeted.
Elsewhere SLJ tells of Jerry learning the news:
The call from the Newbery committee came at 6:42 a.m. When the phone rang again at 7:07 a.m., he was concerned. He looked and said to himself, “Philly’s calling again? Is this going to be like ‘Hey, sorry, but the winner’s Moonlight?’ ‘We meant Jerry Pinkney, not Jerry Craft.’”
The Newbery was still his. This call was the Coretta Scott King Award (CSK) committee. Craft also won the CSK Author Award.
“I did not see that coming at all,” he said.
Honors for Jerry Craft’s New Kid:
Winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal
Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Award
New York Times Bestseller
Winner of the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature
San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller
Indie Bestseller for Early & Middle Grade Readers
One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Middle Grade Books of 2019
New England Independent Booksellers Association Best Children’s Book of 2019
New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association 2019 Book of the Year for Middle Readers
Top 10 Spring 2019 Indie Next List Pick
Amazon Best Book of the Month, Ages 9-12
2019 Harvey Award for Best Children’s Book Nominee
One of Booklist’s 2019 Top 10 Diverse Fiction for Youth
One of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Children’s Books, Spring 2019
#1 Indie Comics & Graphic Works Bestseller
One of the Best Graphic Novels of 2019 – School Library Journal
One of the 5 Best Fiction Books of 2019 – Washington Post
One of the Best Graphic Novels of 2019 – Washington Post
2020 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children – Honor Book
One of the Best Books of the Year – Time.com
Best Books of 2019 – New York Public Library
Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2019 – Chicago Public Library
25 Best Children’s Books of 2019 – New York Times
Best Multicultural Children’s Books of 2019 – Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature
The Best New Gift Books for Kids – People