If you loved
Class Act
Jerry Craft · Book · 2020
What hooked you in Class Act was the way it navigates the complex social hierarchies and personal identity struggles found within academic and professional settings.
Films on the same thread
American Fiction
Cord Jefferson · Film · 2023
Shares a thread with Class Act: Identity.
Much like Class Act, this sharp satire explores the performative nature of identity and the hypocrisy inherent in institutions that claim to value diverse voices while reinforcing narrow stereotypes.
Just Mercy
Destin Daniel Cretton · Film · 2019
Explores: Racial injustice, Wrongful conviction, Capital punishment.
If you appreciated the serious look at prejudice in Class Act, you will value this story of systemic injustice and the fight for integrity within broken, unforgiving legal systems.
Hair Love
Matthew A. Cherry · Film · 2019
Explores: Natural Hair, Parental Love, Self-Acceptance.
This short film mirrors the authentic, relatable family dynamics that anchor Class Act, focusing on the intimate bonds and self-acceptance that help navigate the complexities of daily life.
The Help
Film · 2011
Shares 2 threads with Class Act: Social Class, Friendship.
This drama echoes the social class tensions and racial dynamics explored in Class Act, highlighting the personal costs of working within environments where one is treated as an outsider.
Series on the same thread
Itaewon Class
Cho Kwang-jin · Series · 2020
Shares a thread with Class Act: Friendship.
Fans of the perseverance shown by the protagonists in Class Act will resonate with this underdog story about battling powerful foes to establish a place for oneself in society.
Never Have I Ever
Mindy Kaling · Series · 2020
Explores: Indian-American Identity, First Generation American, Grief and Loss.
This series captures the same coming-of-age spirit found in Class Act, focusing on the messy, heartfelt journey of finding one's authentic voice while navigating the pressures of high school.
Love, Victor
Elizabeth Berger · Series · 2020
Explores: Sexual Identity, Self-discovery, High School Life.
Like the characters in Class Act, Victor faces the difficult challenge of finding where he belongs, balancing his personal identity with the expectations of his family and school environment.
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
Scott Fellows · Series · 2004
Shares a thread with Class Act: Friendship.
If you enjoyed the middle school setting of Class Act, you will appreciate this guide to navigating the social hurdles and daily confusion of adolescence with humor and honesty.
Podcasts on the same thread
Nice White Parents
Serial Productions & The New York Times · Podcast · 2022
Explores: systemic inequality, educational reform, privilege and power.
This series offers a deeper, real-world investigation into the structural inequality and privilege that shape the school experiences so vividly portrayed in the narrative of Class Act.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This podcast provides the necessary historical context for the conversations about race and national identity that form the foundation of the experiences depicted in Class Act.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Class Act a direct sequel to New Kid?
Class Act is a companion book to New Kid. While both titles are written by Jerry Craft, Class Act shifts the narrative focus to Jordan’s friend Drew as he navigates his eighth-grade year at a prestigious private school.
Who is the main character in Class Act?
The main character in Class Act is Drew Ellis. He is one of the few students of color attending a prestigious private school, and this story follows his experiences and perspective throughout his eighth-grade year.
Did the author of Class Act win any awards for his previous work?
Yes, Jerry Craft is the author of Class Act and the Newbery Medal-winning book New Kid. His previous work, New Kid, also received the Coretta Scott King Author Award and the Kirkus Prize in 2020.
Should I read New Kid before reading Class Act?
Because Class Act is a companion book to New Kid, reading them in order helps establish the setting and the friendship between Jordan and Drew. Both books explore the experiences of students of color at a private school.