Illegal (Paperback)
$14.99
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Staff Reviews
Illegal is a poignantly moving story with a rich cast of characters, deeply relevant storylines, and rich with the deepest human kindness and endurance. Not without touches of levity and joy, but emotionally impactful where its important, we follow a young boy on his search for his brother, trying desperately to keep his family together when it seems the world is set on tearing him and his siblings apart in the search for a better life. Heartbreaking and hopeful, this story about the journey of an illegal immigrant hits fast and hard, with severe social importance at this time in our world.
— From Staff Picks by Isabel
Description
A powerfully moving, award-winning graphic novel that explores the current plight of undocumented immigrants from New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer and the team behind the Artemis Fowl graphic novels. How can a human being be illegal for simply existing?
Ebo is alone. His brother, Kwame, has disappeared, and Ebo knows it can only be to attempt the hazardous journey to Europe, and a better life--the same journey their sister set out on months ago. But Ebo refuses to be left behind in Ghana. He sets out after Kwame and joins him on the quest to reach Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his family.
An achingly poignant tale for learning about immigration and current global issues. This book is fiction, but it is based on a very real and terrible journey. There are young people who have lived this, and it is a story those young people want us to know about.
2019 Excellence in Graphic Literature Award Winner
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2018
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2018
An Amazon Best Book of 2018
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Graphic Novel of 2018
An American Library Association Notable Book for 2019
2019 YALSA Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens
2019 CBC Notable Social Studies Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Staff Picks
For fantasy fans who want a more historical tale, or historical fiction buffs who want something a little more fantastical this genre-bending book is the perfect choice! It follows Lee Westfall, a young woman living in 19th century Georgia who has a secret: she is a gold diviner. When tragedy strikes her family, her only option for escape and opportunity seems to be joining a wagon trail west to strike it rich in California’s gold rush. But the journey is more harrowing than she can imagine… she must disguise herself as a boy and face all manner of tribulations on the trail. This book is incredibly engrossing… not only is the story suspenseful, but the characters and fantastical elements are portrayed in such an intimate way it feels almost like reading real history. - Linnea
