📖'More than just a comic book:’ Florida author encourages kids, parents to read with ‘New Kid’ graphic novel

EATONVILLE, Fla. – A Central Florida literary legend is being honored at the end of January at the annual Zora! Fest in Eatonville.

The Orange County Library System is hosting events as part of the celebration of Zora Neal Hurston’s legacy. One of them, encouraging kids and educators to explore a new(er) type of book genre.

“As a kid, I did not like to read, but I always liked to draw,” said Jerry Craft. “I never thought that one day I’d be wearing a shirt that said ‘read’ and traveling the world as an author.”

Craft is an author in the fast-growing graphic novel genre. Craft said they’re more than just big comic books.

“A lot of them have really well-crafted stories and characters and they are novels, they just happen to be illustrated,” said Craft.

Craft is well accomplished as the only graphic novelist to be awarded the Newbery Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s literature for his graphic novel “New Kid,” along with the Kirkus Prize and Coretta Scott King Author Award.

The book follows the journey of a Black pre-teen named Jordan Banks, navigating the culture shock of a private school. The story is based on Craft’s experiences as a kid in New York City.

“I wanted to go to art school, but my parents didn’t want me to. I went from this primarily African American - Latino community to Riverdale which is an affluent community where there weren’t many people of color,” said Craft. “The story is about trying to fit into this world that sometimes isn’t accepting as you’d like it to be. But then you break through and get friends and build friendships and family support.”

“New Kid” is a New York Times Best Seller. The story is now shared in more than a dozen languages. Craft also published two additional books in the series, “Class Act” and “School Trip.”

As part of Zora! Fest in Eatonville, which runs Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 honoring Black literary legend Zora Neale Hurston, Craft will be headlining a ”Meet the Author” event at the Eatonville branch of OCLS, sharing the art of storytelling and encouraging people of all ages to read.

“I always start with telling kids how much I hated reading and then I always get the ‘me too, me too.’ I think a lot of kids think that as an author you grew up as a book worm so they can’t relate,” said Craft. “It’s for the teachers and librarians as much as the kids. With the teachers and librarians sometimes it’s some that look down on graphic novels. I put as much of the story arc and character arc and plot into the graphic novels as I would if I were writing a regular novel.”

The “Meet the Author” event at the Eatonville Branch of OCLS takes place Friday at 10:30 a.m. and is a free event.

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