Graphic Novel 'Illegal' Draws on the Plight of Migrants

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Hardly a day passes without news reports of people forced to flee their homes because of war, political unrest, economic upheaval, or religious persecution. Across the globe, from war-torn Syria to land-locked African nations and tiny East Asian countries, millions of displaced people are joining the roughly 65.6 million others (about 28,000 people per day), who, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, were exiled from their native country in 2017. These involuntary global dislocations have led to the largest refugee crisis ever recorded; however, for many Americans, the current refugee emergency remains a remote reality.

The creator of the widely popular fantasy series Artemis Fowl is hoping that a new graphic novel will engender a greater common humanity surrounding the modern refugee experience. In the book Illegal, authors Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin and illustrator Giovanni Rigano explore the current plight of migrants on a very visceral, human level. This timely and heart-wrenching story follows a young Ghanaian boy who makes the dangerous journey from Africa to a safe haven in Europe, transforming the staggering refugee statistics into a compelling personal narrative that is illuminating, heart-breaking and emotionally powerful.

Colfer, The New York Times best-selling author of the Artemis Fowl series, was born in Ireland and spent four years teaching young children in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy, experiences which formed the basis for many of his stories. Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano are the illustrators behind numerous graphic novels.

The talented trio will appear at Boswell Book Company at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 13 to discuss Illegal. This event is co-sponsored by Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, a refugee resettlement organization, and attendees are encouraged to donate basic toiletries to benefit newly arrived refugees.