
Titles in This Set:
New Kid
Class Act
School Trip
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780063385818
Overview:
This three-book collection brings together Jerry Craft’s acclaimed graphic novels—New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip—into a single, cohesive reading experience that young readers can binge from start to finish. Follow Jordan Banks as he navigates seventh grade at a prestigious academy, balancing new friendships, cultural identity, and the everyday challenges of growing up. In Class Act, the story continues with Jordan’s eighth-grade year, exploring friendships, self-discovery, and the pressures of fitting in. School Trip launches a globe-trotting finale that blends humor with heartfelt moments as the group encounters travel, culture, and the broad world beyond their neighborhood. With vivid illustrations, accessible storytelling, and themes that resonate with today’s readers, this set is perfect for graphic-novel fans and readers who crave character-driven stories about courage, belonging, and empathy. It’s a thoughtful, engaging entry point into contemporary middle-grade realism in a visually dynamic format.
What Makes This Collection Worth Owning:
Owning all three titles in one convenient set creates a seamless reading journey that deepens character arcs and thematic threads across the trio. Readers and gift-givers gain a cohesive entry into the world of Jordan Banks, watching his perspectives widen with each volume. The collection offers a natural progression—from adapting to a new school to negotiating identity and friendship, and finally to broadening horizons through travel. The consistent art style and tone across the three books provide a satisfying binge-read experience, excellent for book clubs, classroom discussions, or family read-alouds. It’s also a compelling gift for fans of award-winning graphic novels, offering immediate shelf presence and ongoing re-readability without the need to hunt for separate volumes.
Books Included in This Collection:
New Kid
New Kid follows twelve-year-old Jordan Banks as he transfers to a prestigious private school where he must navigate a culture far different from his own. The story blends humor with sharp social observations, addressing race, class, and belonging through accessible panels and a deeply personal voice. Readers are invited into Jordan’s world—his friendships, his worries about fitting in, and the small victories that mark his journey toward self-acceptance. The graphic-novel format makes complex themes approachable for middle-grade readers, while still offering depth for older readers who enjoy layered character studies. This volume establishes the emotional core of the trilogy and introduces a compelling protagonist whose growth continues through the subsequent titles.
Class Act
Continuing Jordan’s story, Class Act shifts the lens to eighth grade as he and his friends tackle new social dynamics, ambition, and the pressure to present a certain self-image. The narrative delves into identity, peer relationships, and the realities of adolescence with honesty and humor. The artwork preserves Craft’s expressive characters and kinetic gesturing, making emotional beats easy to follow. This installment deepens the exploration of race, class, and friendship while maintaining the accessibility that makes the series a standout in middle-grade graphic novels. Readers who loved New Kid will appreciate the continued growth and new challenges faced by Jordan and his circle.
School Trip
In School Trip, the ensemble expands beyond the classroom as the characters embark on a school trip to Paris. The journey becomes a catalyst for empathy, cultural exchange, and personal reflection, offering moments of humor and warmth alongside thoughtful observations about travel and identity. The Paris setting provides fresh backdrops for character interactions and mini-adventures, while reinforcing the series’ overarching message about embracing differences and finding one’s place in the world. This volume rounds out the trilogy with a sense of closure and forward-looking optimism that fans of contemporary, character-driven stories will relish.
Who This Set Is Perfect For:
Ideal for middle-grade readers ages 9–12 who enjoy social-realism and graphic novels with bite-sized dialogue and expressive artwork. Perfect for reluctant readers who are drawn to visual storytelling, as well as confident readers who appreciate nuanced conversations about identity, friendship, and belonging. Teachers and parents will value the thoughtful themes for classroom discussion, while collectors and Gift Buyers will enjoy the cohesive presentation and collectible shelf appeal of a complete trio by a single author-artist.
Key Benefits:
About the Author:
Jerry Craft is a renowned author-illustrator whose graphic novels for young readers have captivated a wide audience. He is best known for creating New Kid and Class Act, books that combine sharp social commentary with warm humor and accessible storytelling. Craft’s work is celebrated for its distinctive art style, approachable narrative voice, and willingness to tackle important topics such as race, identity, and friendship in a way that resonates with both younger and older readers. Readers repeatedly praise his ability to blend heartfelt moments with playful illustration, making his books compelling reads for middle-grade audiences and a strong introduction to graphic novels as a genre.
Why You’ll Love This Set:
This three-book collection delivers a complete, immersive reading experience—from the initial shocks of a new school to the wider world glimpsed on a Parisian trip. It’s a standout gateway into contemporary graphic novels for kids who crave meaningful, character-driven stories. The cohesive trio makes a thoughtful gift for classroom libraries or family shelves, offering lasting value and multiple entry points for discussion, reflection, and shared reading joy. If you’re building a collection that combines accessibility with depth, this set is a natural fit that readers will return to again and again.
Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.
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