New Kid

Jordan is an everyday kid who young readers can relate to. He makes friends, likes superheroes, plays video games, and has mixed feelings about his school and parents. But Jordan has nuances that make him the right protagonist for a complicated world.

He is a student who has a talent for drawing but must put that aside to satisfy his parents’ academic expectations. Parents may see this as positioning Jordan for wherever life leads him, but children can understand how Riverdale Academy Day School feels like an obstacle to Jordan’s true dreams. Jordan’s sketchbook allows him to rationalize the complex social situations he runs into, even if he doesn’t understand the meaning of it all.

Jordan is confident with a pencil and sketchbook but anxious outside of this. He suffers bullying from Andy, and his attempt to befriend Maury collapses when they realize they have nothing in common. He gains close friendships with Liam and Drew but is reluctant to have them meet each other. This contributes to his lack of control over his life, which Craft portrays as Jordan falling through space.