Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illus. by Giovanni Rigano, and Love is Love by Michael Genhart, illus. by Ken Min have been selected as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People

Illegal and Love is Love have been selected as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People

1/22/2019

We are thrilled to share that Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illus. by Giovanni Rigano, and Love is Love by Michael Genhart, PhD, illus. by Ken Min have been selected as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, a list curated by the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC)!

Click "Read More" below to learn more about the books and authors.

click here to learn more about the notable social studies trade books list

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illus. by Giovanni Rigano

A powerfully moving graphic novel by New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer and the team behind the Artemis Fowl graphic novels that explores the current plight of undocumented immigrants.

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.

About the authors and illustrator

Andrew Donkin (left) is the author of more than sixty books and graphic novels for children and adults. His books have been translated into thirty languages around the world and have sold more than eight million copies in the last decade. He lives in London. Learn more at andrewdonkin.co.uk.

Eoin Colfer (center) worked as a primary school teacher before becoming a full-time writer. He spent four years between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Italy. His first book, Benny and Omar, was based on his experiences in Tunisia. In 2001, the first book in the bestselling Artemis Fowl series was published. Over the years, his works have been named a Book Sense Book of the Year nominee, an L.A. Times Book Prize finalist, and a Virginia Readers’ Choice Award nominee. Eoin lives in Ireland with his family. Learn more at eoincolfer.com.

Giovanni Rigano (right) is an Italian artist and illustrator born in Cantù, Italy. He is best known for his role in the creation of the Artemis Fowl graphic novels, the first of which came out in 2007. Giovanni has also created graphic novels for Disney, including The Incredibles and Pirates of the Caribbean. Giovanni currently lives in Como, Italy.

Love is Love by Michael Genhart, PhD, illus. by Ken Min

A straight conversation about LGBTQ+ discrimination from a child’s point of view

It’s love that makes a family

When a boy confides in his friend about bullies saying he doesn’t have a real family, he discovers that his friend’s parents—a mom and a dad—and his two dads are actually very much alike.

Dr. Michael Genhart’s debut story is the perfect resource to gently discuss discrimination with kids. This sweet and straightforward story shows that gay families and straight families and everything in between are all different kinds of normal. What makes a family real is the love that is shared.

About the author and illustrator

Dr. Michael Genhart has been a clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco and Marin for 25 years. He has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families, dealing with various facets of mental health and illness: anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, trauma, abuse, sexuality, work stress, bereavement and chronic health conditions. During this time, he has specialized in working with children who have gay or lesbian parents, gay teens and coming out issues, samesex relationships, and LGBTQ parenting matters. Additionally, he has supervised advanced psychology student interns through local doctoral training programs and been a consultant to colleagues particularly with regard to working with the LGBTQ population. He has also spent the last fifteen years visiting and speaking at local elementary, middle and high schools to engage students in conversations about LGBTQ issues. He is a consulting psychologist to The Campaign to Change Direction which aims to change the story about mental health, mental illness, and wellness in this country, and he is coauthoring a children’s picture book on the topic.

Ken Min will tell you he was born on an ice floe and raised by a clan of penguins who read to him every night from the works of Margret & H.A. Rey, William Joyce, and DC Comics. He’ll also say that he learned to paint by throwing his food at the walls. In reality he was born in Los Angeles and studied illustration at Art Center, College of Design. He has storyboarded for various commercials and animated TV shows such as The PJs and Futurama. His illustration work has been recognized numerous times by the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). In 2012, the first picture book he illustrated, Hot, Hot Roti For Dada-Ji, received the Picture Book Honor Award for Literature from the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA). These days, you will find Ken illustrating, storyboarding, writing, and dreaming up stories for children. Ken lives in Los Angeles.