From Newbery Medal winners Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft comes J vs. K, a fresh and dynamic hybrid novel for middle-grade readers. The story introduces us to two fiercely creative but competitive fifth graders, J and K. J is a master of visual storytelling, crafting brilliant wordless comics, while K is a gifted writer with a knack for classic tales. When they confront each other in the annual creative storytelling contest, a spirited rivalry ensues. As the competition heats up, both boys start to wonder if their individual talents could be even stronger when combined. The book cleverly follows their journey from competitors to collaborators, celebrating the messy but magical process of creating something new together.
The unusual hybrid format, blending prose with Jerry Craft’s expressive black-and-white illustrations and comic panels, makes the narrative easy to follow for students building language or reading skills. For instance, a student can easily grasp the characters’ feelings through the dynamic sketches. The sentence structure varies from simple, punchy dialogue to more descriptive passages, avoiding monotony. Alexander and Craft intentionally sprinkle in advanced vocabulary, encouraging kids to look up words and expand their own word banks, making vocabulary building a fun challenge. With starred reviews from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, J vs. K is a masterclass in creative expression and a perfect tool for inspiring students to tell their own tales, whether in pictures, words, or both.
