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    New Kid
    New Kid
    New Kid
    Ebook277 pages3 hours

    New Kid

    By Tim Green

    4.5/5

    ()

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    About this ebook

    New York Times bestselling author Tim Green delivers another exciting baseball tale that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica.

    Tommy Rust is a pro at being the new kid. So when his dad marches onto his baseball field, he knows that time is up. In his new town, he goes by the name Brock, and he's having a hard time fitting in. And being friends with the bully from the wrong side of the tracks isn’t helping. But thanks to a prank gone wrong, the baseball coach of the travel-team notices Brock’s skills and offers him a place on his failing baseball team. But can Brock prove himself on and off the field before he strikes out and becomes the new kid…again?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMar 4, 2014
    ISBN9780062208743
    New Kid
    Author

    Tim Green

    Tim Green, for many years a star defensive end with the Atlanta Falcons, is a man of many talents. He's the author of such gripping books for adults as the New York Times bestselling The Dark Side of the Game and American Outrage. Tim graduated covaledictorian from Syracuse University and was a first-round draft pick. He later earned his law degree with honors, and he has also worked as an NFL commentator for FOX Sports and NPR. His first book for young readers, Football Genius, inspired in part by his players and his own kids, became a New York Times bestseller and was followed by Football Hero, Football Champ, The Big Time, and Deep Zone. He drew on his experiences playing and coaching Little League for Rivals and Pinch Hit and two more New York Times bestsellers: Baseball Great and Best of the Best. Bestselling author Jon Scieszka called Tim Green's Unstoppable, a book about a boy's struggle with cancer that debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, ""Absolutely heroic. And something every guy should read."" Tim Green lives with his wife, Illyssa, and their five children in upstate New York.

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    Reviews for New Kid

    4.5/5

    407 ratings35 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Jordan is beginning middle school at a new elite academy outside of his neighborhood, when all he wants to do is go to art school. His new school isn't so bad, except that he is one of a handful of African-American kids who go there and the other students (and even teachers) can't stop reminding him of this. Can Jordan fit in or will he always feel like the "new kid"?This is an excellent read for kids in the middle grades. While not all readers will have the same exact situation as Jordan, many will likely identify with the feeling of trying to fit in to new situations or wearing a different aspect of their personality depending on the context (as Jordan does when he's at school versus when he spends time in his neighborhood). There are many snappy jokes and pop culture references that kids are sure to love, although it might make this book seem dated kind of fast (time will tell). The graphic novel format is perfect for the story of a kid who loves drawing.
    • 5/5
      Jordan, a twelve-year-old artist, would love to go to art school, but instead his parents enroll him in a private school with top-notch academics. Jordan finds that he's one of only a few kids of color in the seventh grade at his new school in New Kid by author Jerry Craft.Yes. I picked this graphic novel up because of the race/diversity issue it addresses. Yes, it resonated with me in a number of places on that score, such as in a section of Jordan's sketchbook labeled "Judging Kids by the Covers of Their Books!" Jordan's view of mainstream books for kids versus African American books for kids—good gravy. He could've grabbed that right out of my brain.Even so, this novel doesn't get caught up in being so issue-y that it ceases to be entertaining, accessible, and inclusive. It's a three-dimensional story that takes a look at more than one viewpoint and has much that any "new" or different person can relate to, both within and beyond schooldays and childhood/adolescence.Jordan's story strikes a balance between the downright hilarious parts and parts that can prick your heart or make your stomach drop. It packs in both obvious and understated genius, and what it simply leaves up to the reader's perception and observation is as real as what it says through the characters' speech and thought bubbles. It's not a story that magically solves every character's every problem, but it still wraps up in a way that's inspiring and satisfying.And did I mention how hilarious the novel is? I did?It'd be hard not to take away something awesome from a book like this.
    • 4/5
      I’m trying to read more graphic novels; this is a graphic novel about being the new kid although it really reaches beyond that feeling.One of my favorite parts of this book is Jordan’s trip from home to school. Jordan goes to a mostly white school and has to take public transportation from his neighborhood (mostly black) to where his school is. He begins with hoodie and looking tough; by the time he gets to school, he looks like a “good” kid. He has to look the part for where he is. On his first day, Jordan has a mentor, Liam, who seems a little distant at first, but they grow to be friends. The main idea is that everyone feels singled out at times and wants to avoid being judged. As nice as Liam has it, he has his own problems that he wants to hide. Their friendship progresses as the novel progresses.Being black in a mostly white school has challenges. One kid is constantly called by a more “ethnic” name instead of his real name. Some of the black kids are treated with less patience and prejudice in that the assumption is the black kid did it, so to speak. Sometimes the characters are so quick to believe in prejudice that they are humbled when there is no prejudice--just perceived because they are assuming others have assumptions about black people.The novel begins with Jordan’s first day at his new school and ends at the end of the school year. I enjoyed it. It’s easy to read and has a positive message to not make assumptions about people. Most people want friends and just want to fit in. You’ll even see this dynamic with the adults. You’ll enjoy reading this one--it will appeal to everyone.
    • 5/5
      After being told repeatedly to read this book I finally see what the big deal is. This graphic novel is perfect for middle schoolers, in fact it should probably be required reading. It deals with racism, bullying, peer pressure, and how not to be an asshole. I know a lot of adults who could get something out of reading it too! Jordan is starting an elite new school and isn't sure if he'll fit in, there are only a few other black kids there and he desperately wants to make friends and fit in. As he adjusts to his rich new school, he keeps drawing in his sketchbook and learns that there is more to people than meets the eye. It's funny and inspiring and it's helping kids realize that they aren't alone and everyone is just trying to fit in in their own way. A fantastic graphic novel that everyone should read.
    • 3/5
      New Kid by Jerry Craft is a middle grade graphic novel that tells the story of a boy named Jordan who has (against his will) been enrolled in a prestigious private school in the upscale (and predominantly white) neighborhood of Riverdale. While he didn't necessarily feel like he fit in among his peers at his old school in Washington Heights he really feels like the outsider at this school being one of only 3 students of color. (There's a lot of mixing up of names by the teachers + bullying by peers.) In classic 'rebellious preteen' fashion he feels that the world (i.e. good ol' mom) is set on ruining his life because she won't let him go to art school instead of this place where it seems like everyone is either rich, white, or both. To help him sort through his frustrations and rage he takes to working on a sketchbook detailing his experiences. [A/N:These comics are interspersed throughout the book.] New Kid is a coming of age story about classism, racism, and finding out where you truly belong. Honesty compels me to tell you that I didn't necessarily love this book because of its predictability and slow moving pace. However, this book wasn't written with me in mind as its audience and therefore I think for the young person who is feeling 'other' and beaten down by circumstances out of their control this could be quite an important book. I liked the illustrative style particularly how it worked so well with the sprinkling of Jordan's comics with their very different artistic approach so no complaints on that front. For me it's a 4/10 but in terms of readability for that audience I'd say 8/10.
    • 5/5
      Who can resist a story about starting a new school? Is there anything more daunting than the first day? Maybe the second day? :) This story is about 7th grader Jordan Banks and his new private middle school. If you love books with lots of cultural misunderstandings, you'll love this story. Trying to fit in comes in so many shades: art school stereotypes, rich kids versus not-rich kids, that awful feeling when teachers think they are more open-minded than they are. The way Jordan and his friend cope with being called by the names of earlier non-white students the teacher remembers is so much fun.What I loved about this book was that everyone made mistakes and everyone made friends. Using your skills and good manners to find a place in the new school feels like just the story we all need right now.
    • 4/5
      Jordan's parents have him attend a fancy private school for 7th grade instead of his neighborhood school. He is one of very few African-American students there. HIs passion is drawing and he's much rather go to art school, but he resolves to make the best of his new school. He does make friends and deals with the microaggressions that come his way--some are not so micro. The drawings presented from Jordan's own sketch book are really good, capturing his true feelings.
    • 4/5
      Jordan wants to attend art school however his mom insists academics are the way to go so Jordan, who is black, ends up at a private school with mostly white students and faculty.This was really well done, showing the wounding, frustrating, and exhausting racism Jordan and the other kids of color at his school face daily but there are also moments of humor and friendship (I had a particular fondness for Jordan reaching out to Alexandra). And I thought it was clever how Jordan’s comic style art was occasionally inserted into the story and how you think it may be a turning point with a teacher only for her to stay maddeningly true to form.This graphic novel is a great example of fiction depicting important issues in frank and real scenarios yet also managing to be a fun, hopeful read.
    • 5/5
      Read it, loved it. This graphic novel is an amazing, pitch-perfect book so important and well done it opens up the hard conversations we all need to have right now, and brings to light conversations never thought of.

      A friend's kid noticed the book was in my bag when I was visiting and after he finally got over his shyness to ask if he could read it "If I promise to give it back after?" I let him know that it was an early holiday gift, he hugged the book and the smile after he heard he could keep it? Priceless.

      My personal thank you to Jerry Craft, this book is amazing.
    • 5/5
      I love this graphic novel for middle schoolers! My son mentioned the lower case “i” in kid and asked if this was important to the story. I had not thought about that, but it must be as it is about being different and everyone respecting and accepting each other’s differences. Cannot wait to book talk it tomorrow with my 7th graders! @jerrycraft #yareads #beyourself #middleschoolela #7thgrade #ya #middleschool
    • 4/5
      A very relatable story of a 7th grader trying to fit in at a new school with all the angst that age brings along with being one of the few African-American students in the school. I enjoyed the story and the art work. I can see why it won the Newberry award.
    • 4/5
      I listened to the audio version of this book. It was performed by a full cast of voices. I thought the narrators did a great job and the story was easy to follow. The story was very realistic and insightful.
    • 4/5
      An eye opening novel about the challenges of discrimination in schools. It is inspiring to follow a student with artistic ability. The book combines the beauty of originality in both art and ethnicity.
    • 4/5
      Unlike it's sequel, Class Act, this one took a little longer to hit its stride, but definitely an excellent read about fitting in and finding yourself.
    • 3/5
      Starts off very slow with more set-up than necessary but an engaging and enjoyable tale with a charming ending. The artwork looks rushed and amateurish in some parts, with inconsistent line thicknesses and poorly done backgrounds. Really needed another round of edits, imo.
    • 5/5
      On the whole, I really liked this one -- willing to talk about alienation/racism/the general middle school trope of not fitting in, but in a realistic way, where the stereotypes really don't apply -- because they don't. Stereotypes are just that. So it's refreshing to see a more nuanced take on microaggressions, on all the kids not fitting in in their own ways. There are some seriously hilarious parts, there are some real learning moments, there are some bone head adults, and some really supportive ones. It's a good mix and a good story.

      Re-read and enjoyed even more the second time.
    • 4/5
      diverse middlegrade graphic novel (Jordan is a light-skinned black kid starting 7th grade at a mostly-white private school on scholarship)

      This story took me a little while to settle into (partly because I was just tired in general) but by the end of the story I'd really taken to Jordan and his funny new friends--J. grows quite a bit in his first year, learning to stand up for himself and others (while somehow not getting into trouble for the double-standards that teachers/administrators demonstrate for white students/black students) amidst various forms of microaggressions and bullying, and also trying to make things better for other classmates that he sees struggling to make friends.

      Surprisingly sweet for a story about middle school. More, please!
    • 4/5
      This book is a really good book for junior high students, because they can relate to the protagonist, Jerry Banks. Jerry Banks is a new student who went to a public school who just moved to a private school. He experiences many different culture shocks and struggles being the new kid. This book also reminds me of the book, "Middle School the Worst Years of My Life".
    • 5/5
      Being the new kid is never easy. It's even harder when you wanted to take another path and you find yourself facing racism and colorism from multiple directions. With the support of a few good friends and loving family, Jordan tries to find his feet in a whole new world. Great illustrations and an excellent contemporary story that should resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged or bullied as well as anyone who has ever faced these same issues. Suitable for ages 8 to 12.
    • 4/5
      Middle school is hard enough, but it gets really confusing when you're a middle class black kid who is just starting at an elite prep school where most of the other students are white and very rich. Jordan learns to navigate friendships, being looked at as a "financial aid" kid, and figuring out when someone is being friendly and when they're being racist.
    • 5/5
      This is an amazing book. This is a great book for middle schools to read about not only being the new kid in a school, but about stereotypes about students of difference races. Even some adults could stand to read this book as well as teachers. No one should assume something about someone even teachers.
    • 5/5
      He was a twelve-year-old artist, would love to go to art schl, but instead his parents enroll him in a private school with top-notch academics. Jordan finds that he's one of only a few kids of color in the seventh grade at his new school in New Kid by author Jerry Craft.Yes. I picked this graphic novel up because of the race/diversity issue it addresses. good story
    • 5/5
      The New Kid is definitely one of the best reads I've had this quarter. I'd recommend it to anyone!
    • 5/5
      Middle school can be a difficult time for some, and moving does not help the stress at all. This book is all about going from something completely familiar to something totally different. I rate this book 5 stars because even though all of my students may have never been considered the "new kid", I can have them put themselves in a "new kids" shoes and write about what their challenges could be.
    • 5/5
      Jordan Banks starts a new year at a new school, a prep school where he's one of the few non-white kids.This graphic novel has been getting a lot of love, but I managed not to hear about it until after it won the Newbery and Coretta Scott King Awards this year. It. is. FABULOUS. Each chapter moves you along over the course of a school year, and its title plays on that of a book or movie from pop culture. We're also given glimpses of Jordan's sketchbook, as he draws about life at home and school. His parents and Grandpa make an appearance, he makes friends at the school, and you also see the racism and microaggressions he endures. It captures the real life of school and manages to be fairly upbeat - I laughed aloud a couple of times - and I was smiling in the end.
    • 5/5
      Jordan is the new kid at his middle school, and if that weren't hard enough, it's a fancy, rich-kid school and he's a non-white-skinned scholarship student. The story takes up through how Jordan negotiates this new, strange, and sometimes-frustrating space, making friends, standing up to bullies (both among the students and the staff), and making his own space within it all. It's brilliantly done. I mean, so much so that *every* kiddo should be reading it. The pictures of middle school life, and of everyday racism, drawn here are realistic and all the more brain-and soul-shaking for being undramatic. I'm so happy that Craft won the Newbery for it, and I hope it gets into as many young hands as possible.
    • 5/5
      Jordan attends a new private school at his mother’s insistence because of the opportunities he will have. He would rather attend art school. Jordan is one of the few black kids at school and while adjusting to his new surroundings, he deals with the slings and arrows of teachers’ microaggressions and bullying by a classmate. An important and highly accessible book that has longevity; readers of color from 5th grade through college will find lots to recognize here.
    • 5/5
      First graphic novel to win the Newbery and well-deserved! This book will win over anyone undecided as to the value of graphic novels. It's about starting a new school away from your neighborhood, feeling out of place, old friends vs. new, family dynamics, the nuances of racism, misinterpretations, setting people straight, and understanding that you can't set everyone straight. Jordan's 7th grade voice comes through clearly; sometimes my heart broke for him and sometimes his viewpoint made me laugh. A fabulous addition to my grade 4/5 school library and also great for middle school, high school, and adults.
    • 5/5
      Jordan Banks loves to draw. He hopes that his parents will send him to art school. But they have other plans for him. He’s a bright kid, and they’ve secured a scholarship for him at a prestigious private middle school for him. And it’s only a bus ride away. As an African American, Jordan fears he’s going to feel isolated in an all white environment. When he arrives at Riverdale Academy Day School, he discovers that’s not quite the case, there are a few other students and teachers of color. The real social divide is between the affluent students who spend their school vacations in Hawaii and those on financial aid. Yet, in spite of this and the universal middle school divisions between cliques of cool kids and those who are varying degrees of less cool, cultural misperceptions and faux pas, friendships form that cross these social divisions. In addition to great storytelling and art, Craft excels in recording the intersectionality of economic class, private school, and middle grade life. While it can often be frustrating and awkward, there are times when you can truly bond playing video games together, and instances of true vulnerability, honesty and friendship.
    • 4/5
      Jordan struggles to fit in at a fancy uptown school. His guide- Liam advises him to not judge him, and shows him the ropes as Jordan and a few others of color face acts of microaggression each day. Jordan would much rather go to art school and spends his free time drawing comics, but what parent could turn down a chance to get their child into a prestigious school? This Newbery award winner would make for a good book discussion for grades 4-7.

    Book preview

    New Kid - Tim Green

    1

    Tommy knew from the beginning that this moment was going to be special, the kind that could change his life forever.

    Because Tommy Rust had hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third to tie the game, it was only fitting that he would be the one to step up to the plate with bases loaded in the bottom of the final inning. Because he had hit the ball into the woods—farther than anyone had ever seen in the history of Hawthorn Creek Park Little League—everyone knew he was capable of another. A grand slam home run would give his team the four runs it needed to win. And because Drew Franchok was the best pitcher in the league and could actually throw a curveball—even though his father had prohibited it because of his age—it was only fitting that the count was 3–2 when Tommy stepped out of the box, spit on his hands, and swung the bat without a blink in his icy stare.

    Drew Franchok stared right back from atop the mound, and it was as if everyone at the park held his or her breath as Tommy scuffed the dust and stepped back into the box.

    Do it, Drew, do it! Drew’s father cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned into the metal mesh of the backstop. I am giving you permission! You hear me? Win this thing!

    Tommy was no dummy; he knew what that meant. But he also knew that unlike most twelve-year-olds, he could actually hit a curveball. So he wiggled his cleats down into the dirt, adjusting them for the incoming pitch.

    Drew wound up and in it came. Tommy saw the spin—he could do that too, see it—exactly the curveball he expected. He swung.

    CRACK.

    Tommy didn’t even drop his bat, but let it swing alongside as he took a slow, tentative step down the first base line. The ball was gone, but was it fair?

    It was close, and the umpire paused a moment, deciding what he had or hadn’t seen, before he shouted Foul ball! and pointed his finger toward the stands.

    The deflated feeling of such a near-hit only increased the tension of the situation.

    That’s when Tommy felt a strong hand grasp his shoulder.

    He turned and blinked and stuttered when he saw his father. "Tommy, come on. We’re going.

    Now.

    2

    Mr. Rust? Tommy’s coach, Mr. Jordanson, walked toward the batter’s box wearing a red Cardinals cap like the kids on his team, carrying his clipboard, with a chewed pencil tucked behind his ear. Hey, what’s up? Is everything okay? What are you doing?

    Tommy’s dad stood a bit over six feet tall. He had the walk and upright posture of a soldier. His crew cut had its first sprinkling of gray, but his jaw was rigid, his pale-green eyes alight, and the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes, Tommy knew, were from tension more than age. His father pointed at the coach.

    Stop. No.

    Coach Jordanson did as he was told, and that didn’t surprise Tommy. His father had a dark undercurrent of authority and Tommy wasn’t the only one who did what he said.

    Tommy. Now.

    Yes, sir. Tommy’s ears burned with embarrassment, not only because his father was out there in the middle of the ballpark, putting an end to the game, but because he—Tommy—was completely powerless to do anything about it. In his stomach, breakfast became a bucket of vomit. Only fear of his father kept him swallowing the burning brew back down as he was led by the arm with an iron grip to the edge of the backstop toward an opening in the fence.

    Tommy veered toward the dugout. Dad, my glove.

    He was just able to snag the glove from where he’d balanced it on the rail in front of the dugout. His father answered with a yank that left his shoulder numb, but Tommy knew better than to cry out.

    Mr. Rust, please! It’s the championship! Coach Jordanson’s cry came from the spot they’d left him in, weak and pleading as it traveled over the roofs of parked cars.

    Tommy’s dad said nothing until they reached his car and pointed. In.

    Tommy got into the passenger seat and set his bat and glove down in the back before he realized the engine was already running. He barely had time to put his seat belt on before his father slammed the car into gear. They rocketed out of the parking lot and onto the road, the engine whining under the stress of a flattened gas pedal. In no time, the speedometer read sixty-five. A white speed-limit sign for thirty flashed past in a blur. Tommy braced himself instinctively against the dashboard, and it served him well when his father spun the wheel in a screech of rubber before mashing the pedal again to go even faster down a curvy side road leading out of town.

    A long time passed heading east before they got out of Oklahoma, racing beneath a sign that welcomed them to Missouri. Every new mile of the road began to look exactly the same as the last: asphalt, power lines, and dirt farm fields sprouting new green beards. Tommy fell asleep for a while. When he woke they were in Ohio, and he needed to use the bathroom, but turned his mind to other things, knowing not to ask. He rested his head against the window and felt the steady beat of tires thumping seams in the road.

    What are you thinking about? The low, sad sound of his father’s voice startled him, and he looked at his father’s face trying to figure if it had been some kind of a daydream. Only the briefest flick of his father’s eyes confirmed that it hadn’t, and Tommy swore he’d been in just this place at just this moment sometime before in his life. Maybe it had been another life, he wasn’t sure.

    Just wondering if they finished the game. Tommy was careful not to whine.

    What’s the difference, really? his father asked.

    Tommy knew how his father thought, and the question neither surprised nor disturbed Tommy. Tommy’s father wasn’t the same as other fathers, and neither was the life the two of them led together. He wasn’t complaining. Other boys admired his father in a way so that Tommy didn’t even have to brag about how smart or tough or rich he was. They trembled when Tommy’s father walked into a room without even knowing why.

    Do you know where we’re going? Tommy tried to sound brave and he fought back the sudden urge to cry, knowing it would never do.

    His father shrugged. Tommy wondered if that meant his father didn’t know or just that he wasn’t telling, and he thought about that for a long string of miles.

    His father cleared his throat, and Tommy sat waiting; it took several more miles for him to continue. I thought I’d let you pick your own name this time. You’re old enough, I guess.

    Tommy’s lips puckered as he fought back any emotion, wrestling his face back into the same kind of frozen mask his father wore, thankful that his father’s eyes hadn’t left the road. If he was old enough to pick his own name, certainly he was old enough not to cry. That’s what he told himself, even though what he really wanted to say was that he liked being Tommy Rust.

    Tommy Rust had a best friend named Luke Logan and a secret fort in the woods constructed with pallets of wood taken from alongside the Dumpsters in back of the Home Depot. Tommy Rust had an A average in school and was recently asked to join the junior honor society. Tommy Rust had a .415 batting average and had just been awarded a spot on the all-star team after the season. Tommy Rust had a pet turtle named BoBo who he knew better than to ask about.

    Tommy Rust even had a girl friend—not a girlfriend—but a friend who was a girl, Allie Bergman. She wore bright-colored sweaters that set off her long dark hair, which fell straight down past her shoulders. She liked reading and collecting fossils at the quarry and the California Angels, because of Albert Pujols. Everyone liked Allie, but Allie liked Tommy Rust most, which made some people mad. But Tommy didn’t care.

    Tommy gasped at the thought of never seeing her again, and he had to cover it up with a cough and a question. What’s our last name?

    Nickerson. The answer might have been made up on the spot, or planned out for months.

    Tommy thought back to when he was eight—a time when people called him Dean Prescott. He had loved WWE, and one wrestler in particular captured his attention—Brock Lesnar.

    Brock? Tommy said the name as a question because he knew from experience that his father had veto power over everything in his life.

    Brock. His father stared at the road for a time. Brock Nickerson. That works.

    Tommy . . . no, not Tommy, Brock. Brock Nickerson let out a sigh, glad for that part of it to be over. As the power lines rose and fell in an unending sweep outside the window, Brock wondered two things. First, he wondered if something inside him might not have died. The steaming rage he felt at the injustice of it all—of being pulled out of the championship game!—was gone. It was as if, given no alternative, he had simply yanked the plug on some important machine in one corner of his mind. He had a sense that whatever it was, it had changed him in a permanent way. The scary thing was that he didn’t think this was a good thing.

    The second thing he wondered was: Where on earth were they going now?

    3

    Liverpool, that’s where. Not Liverpool, England. There was another Liverpool in upstate New York, a collection of suburban homes slapped down beside a slate gray lake that had been named after a tribe from the great Iroquois nation. The Indians were gone now and smokestacks puked thick white clouds from across the lake in the neighboring community of Solvay.

    At the center of Liverpool was a hot dog stand, Heid’s Hotdogs. Brock and his father stopped. His father ordered the white ones with hot mustard, Coneys people called them. Brock ate the regular kind, red hots. He liked ketchup and a pickle to go with it. Cheese on his fries.

    For three days they lived in the Motel 6 and ate a lot of hot dogs. It took Mr. Nickerson—Brock was getting used to the name quicker than he imagined—that long to find a small house to rent on a street of houses packed together like teeth with a thin green gum of grass between them and the lip of the street. The Nickersons’ house was on the inside corner of a T intersection where two loops came together like a small m.

    It was home.

    4

    School was a seventeen-minute walk, not quite a mile. It stood waiting at the very end of Bayberry Circle, the U-shaped main artery of Brock’s new neighborhood. He got his schedule at the office from a sharp-faced secretary and wandered a bit before he found his homeroom. The bell rang as he crossed the threshold and the students all stared at him like he was a prisoner shuffling toward the hangman.

    Brock ignored the looks and took an empty desk closest to the door, where he sat without a word as the teacher called roll.

    Nickerson, Brock.

    Brock stared at the blackboard for a moment before giving himself a mental kick. Here.

    The teacher gave him a funny look, but turned her attention to the doorway when a small kid wearing a black hoodie waltzed in.

    Mr. Nagel? Seriously?

    Nagel’s hazel eyes glared out at the teacher from beneath a thatch of dark hair and a pool of orange freckles. Flat tire, he said, shrugging.

    The bus? The teacher wrinkled her brow.

    My sneaker. Nagel grinned and mussed Brock’s hair as he sauntered down the aisle toward the back. Hey, a new kid.

    Brock swatted Nagel’s hand away and turned to watch him. Two desks back sat a girl with dark brown braids and small round glasses. She was reading a book, until Nagel picked a pencil up off her desk and snapped it in two with a nasty laugh. The girl looked up, blinked, and frowned, but said nothing and returned to her reading, like she was used to the taunting. Nagel slumped down in the back corner desk and stuck a finger up his nose. He saw Brock looking at him and flipped the middle finger of his free hand.

    Brock turned back to the front.

    Homeroom ended and he went from class to class, listening to mostly review sessions in preparation for final exams. It was like repeating a slice of past life for Brock, because he’d been winding down the last few days of school in Oklahoma, but up north they were about three weeks behind. At lunch, Brock saw the girl with braids—she’d answered to the name Bella Peppe during roll—sitting by herself. She looked up at him and smiled, and he almost sat down with her, but instead bought a slice of cheese pizza and found an empty seat in the corner by the garbage cans.

    After a quiet lunch, he went to gym class, where his new sneakers squeaked on the floor so that the teacher, Coach Hudgens, looked up from his attendance sheet to scowl. Brock stood a good four to six inches taller than the rest of his new classmates, so it surprised him to get suddenly shoved from behind.

    He staggered off the line and out onto the gym floor—sneakers yipping like small puppies—and fell flat on his face. Laughter echoed up into the steel beams above and the horsehair ropes, bouncing wildly off the wooden floor and bleachers like ball bearings spilled into a bowl. Burning with shame, Brock sprang up off the polished wood and turned to face his tormentor.

    He wasn’t surprised to see Ryan Nagel, the small boy with dark hair and freckles, chuckling. Brock now saw that he also had a gap between his front teeth to go with the chip on his shoulder. Nagel was obviously a seasoned bully. Brock hated bullies and that they seemed as much a part of any school as homework.

    At that moment, everything about his life—his new life—came crashing down on him. Inspired by his wrestling namesake, and angry at the world, Brock turned and attacked the much smaller boy without hesitation. Nagel landed a quick jab to Brock’s nose on his way in. Brock saw stars. He heard a pop and tasted the warm flow of blood down the back of his throat.

    Brock smiled, because something twisted up tight inside him burst free like an old-fashioned clock spring with a lovely twang, never to be rewound again. He wrestled Nagel to the hardwood floor with a clunk, and did his best to pummel the other boy’s face. The thunk of Nagel’s hard little fist against the side of his head meant nothing to Brock. He only wanted to give back as good as he got. As he pummeled Nagel’s face he found himself thinking of his father and how angry it made him to always be the new kid.

    It seemed like forever before Coach Hudgens’s iron grip tore Brock free so that he dangled in the air above his foe. Nagel sprang up and went after Brock some more, but a stiff arm from the coach sent him reeling into the mats along the wall where he slumped down with a thud.

    Coach gave Brock a shake and some sense filled his brain.

    It was over.

    But really, things had just begun.

    5

    Coach Hudgens had to be north of sixty years old and he’d certainly let his gut go, so the strength in his arms surprised Brock. Brock supposed he should have known Coach Hudgens was no one to mess with just by the look on his face, worn down by age and angry about it. There was no surrender in Coach Hudgens’s dark-brown eyes, and the white hair around the edges of his reddish bald scalp was cut close. That look and the haircut reminded Brock of that same soldier quality his father possessed.

    Coach had Brock by the scruff of the neck, Nagel too, one in each hand. He steered the two of them over to the doorway into the second gym.

    Miss Finks! Coach Hudgens shouted. Can you watch my class and yours? I’ve got to take these two yahoos to the office.

    Miss Finks blinked at the three of them, then nodded her head, blew a whistle, and herded her girls into the boys’ gym. Coach Hudgens kept the forced march going, out the gym and through the maze of hallways. The smell of mouthwash strong enough to be medicine wafted down from behind Brock and he turned to sniff at the coach’s breath.

    "Turn around, you. In the old days, I’d have given the two

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