2020 Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for Authors
by Jerry Craft
Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.
As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds — and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
Though not recognized as an association award by the ALA until 1982, the Coretta Scott King Award had its inception in the late sixties. The award, commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honoring his widow, Coretta Scott King, honors African American writers and illustrators and celebrates the African-American experience through artistic expression. It is presented annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force of the American Library Association's Social Responsibilities Round Table.