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Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin’s stunning graphic novel “Illegal” on Red Dot Awards Short List

By John Freeman on November 2, 2018

Illegal, the brilliant graphic novel written by former Irish Children’s Laureate Eoin Colfer and children’s author and graphic novelist Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Italian artist, Giovanni Rigano, is among the short-listed books in this year’s Red Dot student choice book awards, an annual event organised by The International School Libraries Network (ISLN) in Singapore.

This isn’t the first time this stunning graphic novel, telling the story of Ebo and Kwame and their tortuous journey from North Africa to seek a new life in Europe, has been singled out for acclaim. On release last year, The Times singled out the new work, telling the story of a desperate journey for asylum, as its Children’s Book of the Week.

The book is truly astonishing, in story, featuring gorgeous art and and offers a powerful, thought-provoking look at the whole issue of immigration and refugees. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, then I recommend you do – the paperback edition was released back in August.

ISLN’s ‘Red Dot Books‘ are selected by teacher librarians in the ISLN and are a diverse set of books from authors from various countries as well as a diversity of genres and characters. There are eight books in each category: picture, younger, older and mature.

Lifelong comic fans, Colfer and Donkin have collaborated previously on five very successful graphic novel adaptations of Colfer’s books. Illegal was their first original graphic novel together.

• The full list of nominees in the Red Dot Awards is at www.reddotawards.com

• Illegal is on sale now from all good bookshops

[amazon_link asins=’1444931687,1407104810,0141325860,1406366323′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’downthetubes’ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’70fc5266-dea3-11e8-b9f7-5549db960b72′]

• Eoin Colfer is online at www.eoincolfer.com | Find Eoin on Facebook | Follow Eoin on Twitter @eoincolfer

• Andrew Donkin is online at www.andrewdonkin.co.uk | Follow him on Twitter @AndrewDonkin

• Giovanni Rigano is online at http://riganogiovanni.blogspot.co.uk

• For more information on Hodder Children’s Books visit www.hodderchildrens.co.uk

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.