Oakland Schools is proud to host our annual African American Read-In, part of the National African American Read-In established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. This year we’ll be featuring author Jerry Craft. Craft’s graphic novel New Kid won both the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award in 2020.
Families, educators, librarians, and readers of all ages are welcomed! Our evening with Jerry will include a drawing demonstration, sharing about his journey as an author and the ways that his life has shaped his stories, and reading part of New Kid.
A copy of New Kid will be provided for Oakland County students and educators who register (1 per house hold). Books will be mailed directly to participants’ residences once they are available. Please register before February 17th to receive a copy of "New Kid" to your residency. A copy of New Kid will be provided for Oakland County students and educators who register (1 per house hold).
Registering after February 17th cannot guarantee delivery to your residency by event night. Books will still be mailed after February 17th. Registration closes on February 24th at 6PM.
Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal winning author of the graphic novel, New Kid and Class Act. Craft is also the creator of Mama’s Boyz, an award-winning comic strip which won the African American Literary Award five times. He is a cofounder of the Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival. He received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts.
- Awards & Recognition for New Kid
- Winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal
- Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Award
- #1 New York Times Bestseller
Confirmation instructions will be emailed before the event.