I wanted my first book of 2021 to be something that would grip my heart and remind me of the work we need to do this coming year.

Illegal tells the story of Ebo, a young boy from Africa, who becomes a refugee searching for a better life. The story flashes back to Ebo's perilous journey across the deserts and cities of Africa all while telling the story of Ebo's journey across the Mediterranean with his brother, Kwame. They have hope that their sister, Sisi, is waiting for them somewhere in Europe, but they aren't sure.

This story is beautifully illustrated and will move readers to tears. It is easy to read in one sitting, but I encourage you not to rush through it. Take the time to notice all of the little intricacies of the characters and all of the beauty present in each of them. Take the time to sit with the deaths along the way. Ebo often didn't get that time to process what happened to him and to those around him. Sit and trace your fingers over the last pages. Imagine that this is a journey a million or more people undertake each year and thousands more start but perish along the way. Ask yourself what would make you risk your life, your brother's life, your child's life for a journey such as this. Remind yourself that real people make choose to take this risk because there is no better alternative and sometimes no alternative at all. I encourage you to sit with this book and let this book sit with you.

"You, who are so-called illegal aliens, must know that no human being is illegal. That is a contradiction in terms. Human beings can be beautiful or more beautiful, they can be fat or skinny, they can be right or wrong, but illegal? How can a human being be illegal?" -- Elie Wiesel