Jerry Craft: Award-Winning, #1 NYT Best-selling Author of
New Kid, Class Act, School Trip and many more
Jerry Craft has arguably done more for African American children’s literature as any modern author/publisher. His most well-known graphic novel trilogy, New Kids, Class Act, and School Trip, are relatable, educational, and fun for middle grade and up. Because they are graphic novels they can be more accessible to the reluctant reader than a novel in prose.
Jerry is the first and only graphic novelist to get a John Newbery Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Literature, The Kirkus Prize, and the Coretta Scott King Award for the most outstanding work by an African American Writer. His novels have also been chosen to be the basis of an upcoming movie.
He chose to write a trilogy so that the main characters become iconic household names such as their white counterparts in children’s literature.
He is an art activist, starting an independent publishing house that published his over 30 books that he wrote and/or illustrated and other authors’ books primarily featuring African American characters over 20 years ago.
Jerry didn’t want to write about tough subjects such as police violence, abuse and slavery even though critical, because he wants to focus on concerns for African Americans that are not typically depicted in children’s books but are just as important such as socio economic differences, belonging, and skin color within the African American community.
We can look forward to another upcoming trilogy and perhaps (hopefully) a continuation of the characters in New Kid.
You can find the podcast of the conversation between Jerry and Elisabeth at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1012396
You can find the YouTube video at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfe1GQm1jOHRmvie-0aRgjA