Illegal

Colfer, Eoin.  Illgeal.  2018. London: Hodder.


If you've ever wondered what would prompt anyone to leave their homeland and family, sneak out under cover of darkness at unspeakable risk, paying unknown people exorbitant amounts of money in the hopes that they will help you escape... this is the book.


Set in the modern day Ghana, Ebo finds himself alone in the world.  First his sister left for a better life in Europe, and now his brother has set off in hopes of finding their sister.  As he undertakes a dangerous journey across the Sahara Desert and through the Mediterranean Sea, Ebo focuses on one thing: the upcoming family reunion and how much safer life will be once they get to Europe.


Dark dealings surround Ebo as he struggles to find a safe path through unknown territory - knowing that each moment could be his last.




Awards for Illegal:
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

Surfer of the Century

Crowe, Ellie.  Surfer of the century : the life of Duke Kahanamoku.  Lee and Lowe Books.  2007. 

Duke Kahanamoku was one of the most famous and influential swimmers of the first half of the 20^th century.  100 years later, his name and story are virtually unknown by those outside of the swimming world.  He was one of the first Olympic Athletes of Color to compete for the United States, and his influence on the sports of swimming and surfing are still felt in the world today.

Born and raised in Hawaii, he was a native Hawaiian who spent much of his time in the water – either swimming or surfing.   When he was a teenager, a friend who saw him swimming in the ocean and he and his friends had astonishing times.  Completely untrained in formal swimming, Duke set World Record Breaking times. Duke was invited to try out for the United States Olympic Team to compete with the best swimmers in the world.  But, could a native Hawaiian effectively compete in a world that wasn’t always welcoming to people of color?