IllegalBy Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
Ebo and his siblings know they must leave their home in Ghana to make a better life in Europe. Sisi, his sister, has already gone. When Kwame, his brother, disappears, Ebo follows. He is determined not to be left behind.
When he meets up with Kwame they spent almost 2 years working to save money for the journey across the desert and the Mediterranean. They live in dire conditions and hide their money, saving for the day they can finally leave. They two brothers must keep each other safe in a world full of dangers.
After all their hard work, they are finally ready to travel, but their journey is horrendous. They must contend with overcrowding, starvation, thirst, men with weapons, an unforgiving landscape and a massive, deadly sea.
How can two boys make this journey alone? They are constantly motivated by the dream of a better life and the knowledge that they can never go back.
Illegal is not for the faint of heart — it’s a graphic novel that brings the harsh world of a young refugee to life. Ebo must endure more than most of us can imagine, and at a very young age.