The novel tells the story of a 12-year-old African American boy named Jordan Banks who experiences culture shock when he enrolls at a private school.

During Jordan's freshman year at the prestigious school, he adjusts to a new learning environment, witnesses and experiences microaggressions, and makes friends with other students.

While he wishes the book to be appreciated by a wide range of readers, Craft particularly wants it to accurately reflect a present-day African American experience.

The book was well received by critics, sold well, and won the 2020 Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award and the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature.

He is helped by Liam Landers, a fellow student assigned to be Jordan's guide, and whose family has attended RAD for 3 generations.

These include sitting at the wrong table at lunch and not knowing how to act when a friend from the neighborhood sees him with Liam.

Further challenges occur when his advisor discusses students on financial aid and calls Drew by the name of DeAndre.

Forced to pick a team sport to play, Jordan chooses soccer and struggles with the rules and the cold, and scores an accidental goal in his first game.

As the school year draws to a close, Jordan's modern art illustration is picked for the cover of the yearbook.

Drew remains unsure if he'll return to RAD, almost having been suspended for the argument with Andy despite making the honor roll each semester.

[1] It was important to Craft that the book was funny because "I think that as a people we have gotten so complacent in misery that we almost expect it" when it comes to portrays of African Americans.

[5][6] By having Jordan get along better with Liam than Maury, Craft wished to show that friendships don't have to be based solely on race.

"[5] In the New York Times, author Victoria Jamieson notes that Jordan has to find his own way between his neighborhood and his school with his parents giving different examples of what that can look like; his mom works in the corporate world, while his dad runs a community center.

[7] Gretchen Hardin in School Library Journal praised the black and white drawings for the expressive way they develop Jordan's character while suggesting that "the art loses a bit of detail during crowd scenes.

[12][13] The Horn Book Magazine wrote that the graphic novel "stands out as a robust, contemporary depiction of a preteen navigating sometimes hostile spaces yet staying true to himself thanks to friends, family, and art.

"[12] Bird noted how New Kid is the rare graphic novel to have a non-superhero contemporary black teen as a protagonist.

[7] Common Sense Media wrote in its review, "The move to middle school confuses many students and has inspired many comics, but this funny and heartfelt graphic novel covers new territory.

[22] Krishna Grady, chair of the 2020 Newbery committee, praised the book in announcing its win, "Respectful of its child audience, it explores friendship, race, class and bullying in a fresh and oftentimes humorous manner.

[24][25] The book’s rights were purchased by Universal Pictures and will be produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter with their company SpringHill Entertainment.

[26] In the context of a backlash against racial justice protests in the U.S., New Kid was accused of promoting critical race theory and racism.