School Trip, written and illustrated by Jerry Craft. Quill Tree Books, Harper. 2023. $18.50 ages 10 and up

 

"Hey, Ramon! Since this is your first
time in Paris, let's order room service! 

ROOM SERVICE?! You mean like in the 
movies? 

You've NEVER ordered room service 
before? 

To be honest, Maury, I don't ever remember
staying in a hotel before. Whenever we go to
Nicaragua, we stay with family."

In this third graphic novel about the Riverdale Academy Day School students, Jordan receives an admission letter to art school. It is his dream come true. It also means leaving his best friends at RAD, instead of going on with them to high school. Does he really want to be the new kid again? He doesn't have a lot of time to make the decision; the art school wants his answer in a few weeks. 

In the meantime, annual class trips are announced. Jordan and his friends are going to Paris! That brings even more worries. How will he navigate a country where he doesn't speak the language? His friends are with him, and together they will make it a memorable time. They remain a diverse group who stand by their friends and deal with issues that make for adventure and angst as they travel Europe together. 

While away, Jordan is able to push the worry about leaving his friends and attending art school to the back of his mind. He wants to make the most of the opportunities that arise as they travel together. Andy, an irritating classmate, causes some concerns. There are unexpected obstacles; they are handled with support and energy. Relationships grow and change, affording each student a chance to make personal decisions about the present and the future.

The author is a wonderful storyteller, and laces his tale with humor at every possible opportunity. As the friends consider this might be their last chance to be together before high school and the changes that will bring, they make the best of it. The characters are familiar, including Jordan's parents and the accompanying teachers. Double page spreads, inserted throughout the novel, are artist Jordan's way of focusing on thoughts he is having concerning the events taking place. 

"Here, the meals take longer. 
But you enjoy them! AND you 
get to enjoy other people. 

They REALLY seem to 
respect time. 
Even how they don't seem to 
tear down their old buildings ... 

Or their old people!" 

This is a terrific story, told with heart and humor. If it's the first of the series read, look for New Kid and Class Act. They do not disappoint.