Jerry Craft is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator who has for many years taught Carver after-school kids how to draw and write stories.
His book, “New Kid,” is the winner of the 2020 John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. It is the first graphic novel in the Newbery’s nearly 100 year history to receive the award. Craft is only the fifth African-American author to land the coveted prize.
“New Kid” was also awarded the Coretta Scott King award for an outstanding work by an African American writer. Craft is the second person to have simultaneously won both awards in the same year. New Kid was also the first graphic novel to win the Kirkus Prize in the “Young Readers’ Literature” category.
New Kid follows the life of Jordan Banks, one of the only children of color at a prestigious private school. Announcing Craft’s win, Newbery committee chair Krishna Grady called it a “distinct and timely story”. “Respectful of its child audience, it explores friendship, race, class and bullying in a fresh and often humorous manner … It is, simply put, a ‘distinguished contribution to American literature’,” said Grady, referring to the criteria of the prize, which is given by the Association for Library Service to Children.
Established in 1922, the Newbery has gone to titles including L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, Sachar’s Holes and Cleary’s Dear Mr Henshaw.
Craft was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City. He is a graduate of The Fieldston School and received his B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts. He resides in Connecticut with his two sons and two beagles.