A fish out of water. In over your head. Thrown to the wolves.
When you’re the new kid at school or in town, many sayings can apply — but none of them seem to capture the full experience. So instead, we offer up these books about being “the new kid” (in no particular order):
- Libby on Wednesday by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Karen’s pick)
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Nancy’s pick)
- Ellie McDoodle: New Kid in School by Ruth McNally Barshaw
- Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls Book 2: The New Girl
- Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
- Belle Teal by Ann M. Martin
- A Friendship for Today by Patricia McKissack
- Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
- Firegirl by Tony Abbott
- Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
- Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
- Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
- Doodlebug by Karen Romano Young
- So Totally Emily Ebers by Lisa Yee
(And here’s a printable version of our New Kid booklist, for you to take to the library or bookstore, or send as a gift to friends in your old hometown.)
If you’ve read any of these, send in your book review. Or send in a review of your favorite book about “the new kid.”
UPDATE 9/14/10: We revealed the answer to our New Kid Mystery Book Theater in the “New Kids on the Block” Podcast, so take a listen if you want to know the answer. Or just tune in if you want to hear Nancy and Karen compete ina lightning round game where one of them is definitely NOT a very gracious winner.
