Jerry Craft

Jerry Craft is a highly acclaimed author and illustrator, best known for his graphic novels New Kid and Class Act. These works have earned numerous accolades, including the John Newbery Medal, the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature, and the Coretta Scott King Author Award. New Kid is particularly noteworthy as it is the only book in history to win all three of these prestigious awards.

Craft was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City. His personal experiences and upbringing have significantly influenced his work, providing authenticity and depth to his characters and storytelling. He is a graduate of The Fieldston School and holds a B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts.

Prior to his success with New Kid and Class Act, Craft created Mama's Boyz, a comic strip distributed by King Features Syndicate from 1995-2013. This comic strip won five African American Literary Awards, demonstrating Craft's long-standing talent and commitment to storytelling. In addition to his work as an author and illustrator, Craft is a co-founder of the Schomburg's Annual Black Comic Book Festival. This initiative highlights the importance of diversity and representation in comic books and graphic novels, a cause that Craft is deeply passionate about.