El Deafo

I found El Deafo to be charming and sincere and affecting where appropriate. It tells the story of a young girl who loses her hearing and who learns to navigate elementary school as a bit of an outsider. Some classmates regard her as a freak, some over-compensate, but her worst enemy is her own insecurity. Gradually she overcomes.

What's best about this book is that the deafness, while integral to Cece (the author and main character)'s experience, it is not the subject of the book. Worrying about fickle friends, and cute boys, and how much to comply with the rules, is universal. You will relate to her experience even if you have never had to deal with a physical impairment.

The book is never didactic but it will teach those of us who have never had a deaf friend how to communicate with them more effectively, and perhaps will inspire additional compassion in some. The book is perfectly appropriate for children (age 7+?) and adults.

We appear to exist in a golden age of children’s graphic novel memoirs. Which is to say, there are three of them out this year (El Deafo, Sisters, and The Dumbest Idea Ever). How to account for the sudden tiny boom? If I were to harbor a guess I’d say it has something to do with publishers realizing that the genre can prove a profitable one (hat tip then to Smile). We’re beginning to enter into an era where the bulk of the gatekeepers out there, be they parents or teachers or librarians, are viewing comics not as a corrupting influence but rather as a new literary form with which to teach. Memoirs are particularly interesting and have proven to be a wonderful way to slowly ease kids into the big beautiful world of nonfiction. That said, not everyone’s youth is worthy of a retelling. To tell a memoir well you need to have a narrative arc of some sort. One that doesn’t feel forced. For CeCe Bell, her first foray into graphic novels is also telling the story of her youth. The result, El Deafo, is a remarkable look at a great grand question (What to do when you can no longer hear and feel different from everyone you know?) alongside a smaller one that every kid will relate to (How do you find a good friend?). Bell takes the personal and makes it universal, an act that truly requires superhero skills.

Until the age of four CeCe was pretty much indistinguishable from any other kid. She liked her older siblings. She liked to sing to herself. But a sudden bout with meningitis and something changed for CeCe. All at once her hearing was gone. After some experimentation she was fitted with a Sonic Ear (a device that enabled her to hear her teacher's voice) and started attending classes with other kids like herself. A family trip to a smaller town, however, meant going to a new school and trying to make new friends. When faced with problems she reverts to her pretend superhero self, El Deafo. With subtlety Bell weaves in knowledge of everything from reading lips and sign language to the difficulties of watching un-captioned television. At the same time the book’s heart lies with a single quest: That of finding the absolute perfect friend.

The rise of the graphic novel memoir of a cartoonist’s youth with a child audience in mind really hit its stride when Raina Telgemeier wrote, Smile. That dire accounting of her at times horrific dental history paved the way for other books in the same vein. So where did my library choose to catalog that graceful memoir? In the biography section? No. In the graphic novel section? Not initially, no. For the first year of its existence it was shelved in nonfiction under the Dewey Decimal number 617.645 T. That’s right. We put it in the dental section. So it was with great trepidation that I looked to see where El Deafo would end up. Would it be in the section on the hearing impaired or would the catalog understand that this book is about so much more than the Sonic Ear? As it happens, the book appears to be primarily cataloged as a memoir more than anything else. Sure the information in there about the deaf community and other aspects of living as someone hearing impaired are nonfiction, but the focus of the story is always squarely on CeCe herself.

The real reason I found the book as compelling as I did was due in large part to the way in which Bell tackles the illogical logic of childhood friendships. So many kids are friends thanks to geographical convenience. You’re my age and live within a certain radius of my home? We’re besties! And Bell’s hearing impaired state is just a part of why she is or is not friends with one person or another. Really, the true arc of the story isn’t necessarily CeCe coming to terms with the Sonic Ear, but rather how she comes to terms with herself and, in doing so, gets the best possible friend. It’s like reading a real life Goldilocks story. This friend is too bossy. This friend is too fixated on Cece’s hearing. But this friend? She’s juuuuuust right.

So why bunnies? Bell could easily have told her story with human beings. And though the characters in this book appear to be anthropomorphized rabbits (reminding me of nothing so much as when guest stars would appear on the children’s television program Arthur) there is no particular reason for this. They never mention a particular love of carrots or restrict their movements to hop hop hopping. They are, however, very easy on the eyes and very enticing. This book was sitting on my To Be Reviewed shelf when my three-year-old waltzed over and plucked it for her own perusal. The bunnies are accessible. In fact, you completely forget that they even are bunnies in the course of reading the book. You also fail to notice after a while how beautifully Bell has laid out her comic panels too. The sequential storytelling is expertly rendered, never losing the reader or throwing you out of the story. One librarian I spoke to also mentioned how nice it was to see that the dream sequences with El Deafo are always clearly delineated as just that. Dream sequences. Fantasy and reality are easily distinguishable in this novel. No mean feat when everyone has a twitchy little nose.

Maybe we’ve peaked. Maybe we’re seeing as many graphic memoirs for kids as we’ll ever see in a given year. But that can’t be, can it? We all have stories to tell, no matter what our upbringing looked like. There’s always some element in our past that’s relatable to a wide audience. It’s the clever author that knows how to spin that element into a storyline worthy of a younger audience. There isn’t a jot of doubt in my mind that CeCe Bell’s book is going to be vastly beloved by nearly every child that picks it up. Engaging and beautifully drawn, to say nothing of its strength and out-and-out facts, El Deafo is going to help set the standard for what a memoir for kids should be. Infinitely clever. Undeniably fun. Don’t miss it.

For ages 9-12.

My Review: I brought this book home from the library for three reasons. First, I need to read more children's books in order to properly advise young readers at the library where I work. Second, I wanted to read a graphic novel. Yup, I never have. I live under a rock. And lastly, it was about deafness and with my background as a Sign Language Interpreter I was interested to see how deafness was portrayed in a children's book.

I sat down yesterday afternoon and proceeded to read three-quarters of the book in one sitting (and finished the rest a few hours later). Needless to say I found this book to be a very easy and delightful read. The book is based on the author's childhood growing up deaf and she touches a lot on the feelings of growing up deaf in a hearing world (living in the 'bubble of loneliness', being referred to as 'my deaf friend' instead of just 'my friend') and situations that she found frustrating (turning out lights at sleepovers while the other girls continued to chat, turning away when she's trying to lip read, watching TV before Closed Captioning ...). There's a lot of information given to the reader but it in no way has a 'preachy' feel to it. Far from it, in fact. Instead the reader gets a very heartfelt look at how Cece dealt being the only deaf child on her street and in her school. She shows the reader her transformation from viewing her deafness and being different as a disability to seeing her differences in a much more positive light.

Along her journey Cece meets a whole range of characters - from supportive and unsupportive teachers and loving parents, to extremely pushy friends and friends who overcompensate for her deafness. It's a whole cast of colourful characters that children can relate to. This book is written with humour and a lot of heart which helps the reader get inside Cece's head as she navigates through the hearing world as a deaf child. But she also touches on many universal issues that kids face - being the new kid at school, learning to fit in, dealing with bullies and first crushes which I think makes it relatable to hearing children too.

I love the author's note at the end of the book that goes into a little more detail about what it means to be deaf. It's a different experience for different deaf people. People become deaf for different reasons (genetic, illness, physical trauma ...) and they live with their deafness very differently.

Some consider themselves hard-of-hearing, some choose to wear hearing aids, cochlear implants and may communicate verbally and/or lip read. There is another large group of the deaf who consider themselves culturally Deaf (yes, that's a big D) where they are heavily immersed in Deaf culture and are proud to be Deaf. They don't see their deafness as a disability, just one {positive} way that they are different (this is sometimes hard for hearing people to understand). Many of these people proudly use American Sign Language (which, I will add, is a complete and complex language, distinct from English. It is not a physical way to communicate English). As the author states, 'there are lots of different ways to be deaf' and I love that she brought that message to her readers.

I loved this book. It was easy to read, Cece was a unique character that took readers on a roller coaster of emotions and by using her vivid imagination turned her deafness into a 'superpower'. The graphic novel format, with it's unique 'bunny-like' characters will engage readers, especially reluctant young readers to pick up a book. My hope is that it will inspire compassion for being the new kid and a better understanding of the deaf. For this reason I'd recommend it for readers age 7 to adult.

Favourite Quote: 'Our differences are our superpowers'

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I bought 6 copies of this book to use in my classroom, and unfortunately, I had to send all of them back. Although the message behind the book is very positive, there is some inappropriate content in it. There is a scene in a teacher's lounge where teachers are complaining, and the word "hell" is used - as in, "Jimmy Malone is making my life HELL!" Also, one of Cece's friends tells her to look down her shirt and spell the word "attic" - which translates to "a tittie I see." There is some potty humor that happens when the teacher goes to the bathroom and forgets to turn off the microphone that goes to Cece's hearing aid. The age range given for this book is 8 to 12, but, as a teacher, I strongly disagree with allowing children at the lower end of that age range to read this book. I think the author could have made her point very well without some of the crude humor.

Like Cece Bell, I also grew up as a hearing impaired kid in 1970s (hey, looks like we're ALMOST the same age!) The only difference is that I was BORN deaf, so I never knew what it was like to hear, nor did I ever learn to speak regularly.

But - posing as a little bunny girl in her favorite polka dot swimsuit - Cece suddenly got sick with a brain-related illness right before she began kindergarten. So she lost her hearing, though she is still able to speak orally and also remembers what it's like to actually hear. That is why she still identifies herself as a hearing kid even though she had to wear big, cumbersome hearing aids and attend classes with deaf kids.

Unfortunately, our young heroine finds great difficulty fitting in as well as making new friends. One turned out to be very possessive while another one treated her rather patronizingly - without really meaning to. And when Cece thought she finally found a "perfect" friend, she badly frightened her away when she got a very serious eye injury while playing with her.

If that isn't all, Cece also ran in many frustrating obstacles when she was "forced" to learn sign language, had a hard time understanding her favorite TV shows of 1970s, and yes, even had to get glasses, too! In fact, she began to act like a surly little teenager when she was all of nine years old. :P

But thankfully, our heroine eventually learned to cope by pretending that she obtained magical superpowers from her deafness (yes, her powerful 1970s-style hearing aid actually helped by enabling her to eavesdrop on her teacher's private conversations and well, bathroom habits.)

Finally, Cece lived happily ever after with her true friends as well as a blushing schoolgirl crush on some cute-looking classmate, whom she actually impressed with her hearing aid's clever functioning (too bad she ended up as his accomplice when he wanted to fool around in the class while the teacher is out, though.)

Almost 240 pages long, the author's childhood adventures will take us through medical tests, learning to interpret oral messages, meeting new people, navigating through elementary school, and of course, growing up in the retro world of 1970s with simple bunny-people illustrations. :) Just a word of warning, though: there are some rather scary scenes like throwing up and a little blood, too.

And I also think this stuff should be for older kids who can wade through lengthy stories in novelized format, BTW.

Before Cece Bell wrote El Deafo, she established herself as an author and illustrator in her own right. Only after doing this did Bell write her memoir, which tells her story of growing up severely to profoundly deaf. Even then, Bell still contemplated how best to tell her unique story. For example, Bell deliberately picked the medium of a graphic novel because “… graphic novels tell so much of the story using speech balloons. What better way to show what I am hearing—or even better, what I am not hearing—than speech balloons?” El Deafo is a funny and touching story, which should connect with others whose experiences were similar to Bell but also have universal appeal.

One typical way for an author to feature a character with a disability is to have that character be the new kid. This situation naturally leads to peers having questions and inappropriate reactions. Bullies might even surface. While Bell does employ this format, she also goes beyond it. Yes, when Cece enrolls for the first time in public school, there are questions about Cece’s hearing aid along with inappropriate reactions such as talking louder or turning up the volume on the television. There’s also a short-lived example of a bully who breaks her hearing aid. But the majority of Bell’s story centers around friendship. How should she relate to the girl who wants to be friends but only if in charge? Or how should she relate to the girl who wants to be friends but only because Cece is different? And how should she regain friendship with the girl who seems like a kindred spirit but then stops hanging around after an accident? Bell’s story even includes some romance, where Cece experiences typical adolescent reactions of shyness and infatuation. How will she overcome these to develop a meaningful relationship with the boy next door whom she really likes?

A more current trend for showcasing a character with a disability is to bestow that character with super powers. Bell again employs this format, but with her own unique twist. With her Phonic Ear, Cece can hear her teacher not only in the classroom, but anywhere her teacher is in school—in the hallway, in the teacher’s lounge, and even in the bathroom! Cece is on her way to becoming a superhero, to being El Deafo, but sometimes being a superhero is another way of being different … or another way of being lonely. The advertising for El Deafo ramps up this aspect of Bell’s graphic novel, no doubt to cater to audiences who are familiar with Rick Riordian’s Percy Jackson and The Olympian series and other similar superhero books. My main concern about this advertising is that readers might feel disappointed when they realize that the first half of El Deafo has very little to do with Cece’s “powers” and so give up an otherwise highly enjoyable and educational graphic novel.

A third way for an author to include a character with a disability, and in my mind the best way, is to integrate them into a plot which draws upon that character’s unique differences while also telling a universal story. A title which jumps to my mind is The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night by Mark Haddon, which is narrated by a 15-year-old boy who is labeled by the book’s blurb as having Aspergers. The novel succeeds so well I think because it’s not just a book about Aspergers or just a mystery, but instead it’s a well-written blend of the two. Bell in her Author’s Note writes that people can become deaf in many ways and can choose how to handle their deafness in many ways. For example, her having been able to hear before being struck with meningitis meant her parents were able to make decisions to keep her mostly in the hearing world. Obviously then, El Deafo is in no way a factual account of what all deaf people will experience. Yet it is a representation of Bell’s emotions as a kid who grew up hearing impaired. The result is a graphic novel which isn’t just about deafness or isn’t just the account of the confusing world of relationships, but instead a well-written blend of the two.

Bell shared in an interview that she has heard from kids like her who use a hearing aid, but also kids with other disabilities, and even those who don’t have special needs. All of them write that her story resonates with them. This doesn’t surprise me. By putting first the goal of writing an entertaining story, but then also drawing on her unique experiences, Bell has written a fascinating story to which all of us will connect on some level.

Today I finally finished a book worthy of five stars! This is only my fourth five star review in 2016 and it goes to… EL DEAFO by Cece Bell!!! I didn’t know much about this book going into it other than that it was a middle grade graphic novel and that it was funny. In fact, a book talk about it by a Champaign Public Library librarian describing a bathroom scene actually caused one of my 4th graders to laugh so hard he had an asthma attack which resulted in him being sent home after a nebulizer treatment did little to help the situation… Yes, the book was that funny!

41V58xL9-LL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_

I was impressed with the artwork; you can visually see the main character Cece lose her hearing after a bout of meningitis as the speech bubbles fade and finally are empty. My grandma also lost her hearing after an illness as a child so I have a strong personal connection to this story causing me to love it even more. Cece gets a hearing aide, but the author teaches readers a great deal about life with hearing aides. She illustrates how Cece can hear, but that it sounds like gibberish regardless of volume. In one scene, Cece thinks a child tells her that her grandma likes pie when actually she has said her grandma might die. It’s through responding incorrectly that she determines what the child actually told her. The author also takes time to show social difficulties experienced by being a deaf kid and not being understood. The fact that all the characters are rabbits, highlights how different Cece felt with her hearing aide because it’s much more visible if your ears are above your head. The book also illustrates the many ways that the hearing can communicate with deaf/hard of hearing people in ways that are hurtful. This would be great bibliotherapy for deaf kids and those who are friends with someone who is deaf. I also think it’s a great way for kids to become more aware of the world around them and different cultures, even if they don’t personally know anyone who is deaf. Finally, this book shows both sides of the signing vs. reading lips debate and really helps illustrates the pros/cons.

It was only after finishing this book that I realized the author’s name was Cece and that this graphic novel was autobiographical. My love for this book increased astronomically when I found this out. I can’t begin to imagine the impact Cece Bell has had on so many individuals!

This graphic novel got lost on my TBR mountain. I recently pulled out the ARC and was quickly drawn into the great story. Young Cece loses her hearing at age four and this story tells about her adventures in elementary school. Her first year is spent in a program for other kids with hearing loss which begins her education in lip reading. Through the years Cece is searching for a friend and she has a lot of them over the years from Laura the bossy to Martha who is afraid she hurt Cece after an accident they had while playing.

Along the way we see how different people - children and adults - deal with Cece and her hearing. She is often lonely and embarrassed by the phonic ear that she wears in school. She does find a way to put the fact that her teacher wears a microphone to good use though. It was interesting to see how she reacted to conversation, television and other media. It brought home to me how much we depend on hearing for understanding.

Since I was reading the ARC, I didn't see the illustrations in color and can't fully appreciate the final colored version. But I did enjoy the art in this one. The characters were visually defined and I could always tell them apart. Depicting the characters as rabbits was an inspired choice. I liked that Cece created the character of El Deafo to say what she didn't want to say and to be the hero she wanted to be.

Fans of graphic novels, Newbery Award books, and great characters will enjoy this one.

This was different. This is a loose biographical account of Cece Bell's loss of hearing as a child. What makes it different is that the book is a graphic novel and all the characters are anthropomorphized rabbits. With rabbits being renowned for their good hearing, having the characters be rabbits accentuates how much the loss of hearing hurts.

I liked that the book was not a self-pitying type of read. The main character was believable. She had her faults as well as her strengths. She never felt sorry for herself about being deaf, but did often feel stupid for not understanding things as quickly as others. She also was more of a follower than a leader. These qualities gave her an underdog aspect that had me rooting for her throughout the book.

In her imagination she is the superhero El Deafo, using her Phonic Ear to hear all and to fight for right. These flights of imagination often have real life consequences for her. Not all of them are good.

Full of lessons on how it feels to be deaf without being preachy, I recommend this book, the first Newbery Honor book in graphic novel form that I have read. I am looking forward to getting a copy to put on the shelf of my classroom library.

This could be my life ... all the way down to no captions available as a child as it was this way for the character. (Saw my first captioned show at 13.) Many kids would also ask me, "Are you death?" And my response was similar to the character's. As Bell explains in the back of the book, you'll meet all kinds of people who are deaf. We don't all sign, lipread, go to schools for the deaf. We're as diverse as America.

The story offers insight captures the different emotions a person who is deaf experiences as a kid. I would hope that people reading this book would gain a deeper understanding about someone who is different from themselves and work to treat all people better. Even kids who aren't born deaf can relate as many children struggle with social situations and being friends with kids they don't always like. I wish all kids would read this and "Wonder" -- and maybe they'd be a little more respectful of each other.

Disclaimer: I am not Deaf nor hard of hearing, but I have briefly studied American Sign Language/Deaf culture. So basically, I have some previous knowledge of the Deaf community but am in no way connected to it.

Cece is a young girl who loses her hearing at the age of four and struggles to make friends in school who are simultaneously accepting of her “different-ness” and aware of the accommodations that she needs to be able to understand what is going on around her.

Considering most of what I knew about the Deaf community beforehand is knowledge of how life is in the current times, it was interesting to see a depiction of life in the Deaf community during the 1970s. For example, I remember doing a report on how Marlee Matlin led the movement to make closed caption more widely available, but I didn’t even think about how this story takes place before that. So it caught me off guard when Cece can’t understand television shows because there are no captions. This adorable story exposed me to the struggles that this community dealt with before getting to where it is today.

The best part of this story is how Cece begins to see her Phonic Ear (hearing aid) as a super power when she realizes that the microphone her teachers are required to wear let her hear them from wherever they are in the building. After this, Cece becomes, El Deafo! Which is basically a reclamation of a term she sees used on television to insult a Deaf boy. She then starts to create fantasies of defeating villains, people who are inconsiderate to her deafness and feelings. When she finally meets a friend that respects her and doesn’t treat her like she’s stupid, she includes this friend, Martha, as her sidekick. The superhero metaphor is very cute and very crucial to self-acceptance. It’s perfect for the middle grade audience this is for.

The most important part of the story is that Cece also goes through childhood struggles that almost everyone goes through. Between first crushes that we deny are crushes because we’re too embarrassed, and worrying that our grades won’t meet our expectations or those of our parents/teachers, Cece faces it all! It really goes to show that despite her need to wear a hearing aid, Cece is undoubtedly just like everyone else.

Additionally, the author Cece Bell includes a note in the back of the book highlighting some key points of being a part of the Deaf Community. This is worth the read as well, because it never hurts to be aware of others’ experiences.

Final Thought: This is a wonderful own voices book, and I’m sure everyone can relate to the journey Cece partakes on to accept her differences from the rest of the world. Not only is this a beautiful emotion-focused story, but it helps to educate the hearing community of things we take for granted. Five stars!

Due to its sudden surge in popularity I finally buckled down and read "Smile," a popular graphic novel for kids, and was rather underwhelmed by it. However, after leaving a review for it, the store suggested I try out "El Deafo" as well. To me it appeared that "El Deafo" was simply "'Smile' but with orthodontal/tooth problems replaced by hearing problems," and I admit I was skeptical at first. But I gave it a shot anyhow... and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a funny and heartfelt story, an autobiography that doesn't feel self-indulgent or episodic but tells a real story and has a likable, non-whiny protagonist. And the illustrations are adorable and well-done as well.

"El Deafo" stars our author, Cece, as a young girl, albeit one portrayed by an adorable bubble-bodied rabbit (actually, the entire cast is made up of rabbits). At age four she contracts meningitis and loses much of her hearing, and so must wear a hearing aid in order to function at school. This isn't some tiny device that sits in the ear, though -- it's a bulky contraption that straps to her chest, something she finds embarrassing. As she struggles to fit in at school, makes (and butts heads with) friends, and learns how to read lips and manage as a deaf girl in a world of sound, she frequently imagines herself as a superhero, the titular El Deafo, in order to cope. But when she realizes her hearing aid DOES give her a sort of superpower (it makes sense in context), she realizes she doesn't need a cape to be a hero... or to have 100% hearing in order to make friends and find her place in the world.

The illustrations of this book are charming and nicely done -- perhaps a little childish-looking with all the characters being portrayed as bunnies, but still colorful and adorably stylized, without the noticeable slips in quality that plagued "Smile." The panel layout isn't as dynamic and stylized as, say, a superhero graphic novel, but I can forgive this seeing as "El Deafo" isn't necessarily an action comic, and the layout, while a bit plain, serves this type of book quite nicely.

The story itself kept me hooked throughout as well -- it goes from funny to heartbreaking to back again without feeling jarring, and I really felt that Cece grew and developed as a character throughout. Kids will identify with her struggles to fit in, her problems with friends and family, and her frustrations with her shortcomings and her flights of fantasy to try to cope with her stress. And kids will also enjoy much of the humor of the book -- even if, yes, it does occasionally veer into bathroom humor. Let's face it, though -- kids DO find that kind of thing hilarious, and most adults will too even if they deny it.

Word of warning to parents -- aside from the aforementioned bathroom humor, this book also has a few mild swear words ("damn" and "hell") as well as a scene involving blood (albeit not terribly graphic). Parents and teachers may want to read this book first and determine for themselves if it's appropriate to give to a child, or at least be prepared to explain things to them.

A great graphic novel for older kids (I'd say for the 8-12 range), even teens and adults will enjoy this as well. After being underwhelmed by the enormously-hyped "Smile," it was nice to see an autobiographical graphic novel that managed to tell a fascinating story without making me want to slap the author/main character, and that carried a powerful message about finding your strengths and discovering that what you see as a weakness just might be a "superpower" of sorts. Highly recommended.

I loved reading El Deafo to my daughter. With El Deafo, Cece Bell proves she can broaden and deepen her reader’s lives with a fun and beautifully-told story. Bell makes the experience of being deaf and separated from others, a handicap shared by many, accessible to children and, at least in my case, adults. The result is moving story that merits reading by kids young and old.

In the year before she starts kindergarten, Cece becomes ill with a dangerous sickness that hospitalizes her and damages her hearing. Nearly deaf, her parents outfit her with a device to help her hear her teachers. Clunky and awkward, the hearing device makes Cece feel self-conscious and different. However, as she soon learns, it also grants her secret powers to know what her teacher is doing even when she leaves the classroom. With this secret power, Cece invents an alter ego: El Deafo!

The book is not new in our home but has been floating around our 8-year old’s room for a while. After watching her read El Deafo for the 9th or 10th time (no exaggeration), I knew there was something up. When my 5-year old asked me to read it to her, we spent a few nights one week reading before bedtime, and she loved it, too.

Bell fills El Deafo with anecdotes and experiences that show well what it’s like to be a child growing up with a sense that so many of us take for granted. Whether it is watching the television, trying to understand her teachers’ instructions, or making friends, normal activities take on a new light when seen through Cece’s eyes as she navigates the world in which she lives. Her characters are drawn as rabbits, and the effect is delightful, adding to the child-like innocence that story-Cece shares as she discovers her world and learns how to turn her handicap into a gift.

I loved El Deafo and was genuinely touched as I read it with our 5-year old. I recommend it to parents of kids from 5 to 12, though I think even older children would enjoy the story and gain from Cece’s experiences.

Apropos: El Deafo won the 2015 Newberry Honor and, fun fact, Cece Bell is married to Tom Angleberger, who writes the Origami Yoda books, another favorite in our home.

I loved this graphic novel! I've been eyeing a copy of it in my Language Arts classroom for sometime now. I'm so glad that I did because it's hands down one of the best I have ever read. ?

It transmits such a wonderful story for kids and adults alike. It's about a young girl named Cece who loses much of her hearing at the age of four. She no longer can communicate or do the things that she used to do. At school she can't hear the teacher or understand what is happening until she is given the Phonic Ear, a hearing device that enables Cece to hear everything that happens in class. It's so amazing that it gives her super hearing powers, turning her into the superhero El Deafo! But the story is about so much more. It's also about growing up, making friendships, peer pressure and crushes.

I just loved everything about El Deafo...the story, the characters, the illustrations. There was a lot of humour and I found myself smiling a lot while reading it. The illustrations were also super adorable. Everyone is represented as bunnies. However, what truly stood out to me was the author's afterword about living with a hearing impairment. I highly recommend this book at everyone of any age, even if you aren't usually a fan of graphic novels. The combination of words and images creates a fun but powerful package. A must read!

This is a middle grade graphic novel, but still can be enjoyed by others of all ages. This book is semi-autobiographical of the author's childhood. At 4 years old after a "normal: baby ad toddlerhood, Cece came down with meningitis, which resulted in her deafness. For kindergarten, she went to a deaf school with other deaf and hard of hearing children, but her family moved that summer and she started first grade at a school where she was the only deaf/hard of hearing child. In order to hear her teachers, she wore a sort-of hearing aid called the Sonic Ear, in which she wore a box with wires to her ears that helped her in hearing the teacher, while the teacher wore a microphone-like device. This was the seventies and this technology was nowhere near as good as it is now. This is her story as best she remembers it during the elementary school years. I found this very interesting and enlightening and vaguely remember there was a student in one of the special education classes who wore a similar device, although he had additional disabilities. Since the author is about my age, there were also some cultural references made in this book that I could relate to. I recommend this book to both middle grade children through adults.

My children and I really enjoyed this book. I started off reading this book to my son with autism, only to have my other children surrounding us also very interested. We all finished it together.

What I liked about this book;
The story is very inspiring, about a deaf girl, (Cece), who finds solace in being a deaf super hero. When a situation is tough or she has a hard time in real life. She quickly resorts to her dream of being a super hero, which makes her feel better.
It's a story of real life put into a graphic novel, there are many relatable moments in this book for any child. Cece, the main character, which is also the author, tells her life like it is. What she feels about being different, about having a crush, having friends, and other stuff that goes on in everyday life.
I liked how my children loved this book and responded so well to this graphic novel.

What I didn't like (the reason this book received 4 out of 5 stars);
I really didn't feel the smoking and drinking from the parents/teenager was needed. There is a scene when Cece returns home after school with a friend. Cece's mom happens to be in the kitchen laughing drinking and smoking. For a children's book that could have been easily omitted.
I didn't care for Cece's older sister smoking and then telling her she better not tell the mother. I also thought the mother in the story seemed annoying. She seems as though she didn't listen to Cece. Heck, when Cece didn't want to learn sign language the mother kept pushing and pushing. Then when Cece had a reason not to be friends with another girl, she invited the girl over without asking. I think the mother failed to listen and annoyed me for most of the book.

Overall, this book gave a great perspective on what a kid that is "different" than others growing up feels like. Cece was no different than any other kid, she was worried of what other kids think of her, she wanted to be liked, she wanted to have friends, she wanted to be herself. In the end Cece really grew over time to understand that she did not have what others see as a disability as a weakness she began to see it for what it truly is a super power. Having 2 children with autism I really appreciated this book. Next time though, please no smoking in a kids book!

(Written by an 11 yr old boy:) Although people may not be interested in reading graphic novels, I discovered an important lesson about rushing to judgement after thoroughly enjoying the graphic novel, “El Deafo” which I mistakenly almost wrote off at first. “Yuck”, I thought on first glimpse when I looked at the cover of “El Deafo”. Fortunately, the librarian pointed out that it was an MCBA and summarized the big idea that this girl made the best of her very difficult situation in life. She explained that the girl was deaf and had to wear huge hearing aids. Instead of feeling defeated, this girl reframed the whole situation to pose herself as a super hero rather than a poor victim. That idea intrigued me so I gave it a chance. After reading the launch when the girl got diagnosed with meningitis in the hospital, I was hooked. Having just read, “No Ordinary Day” about a girl facing similar medical challenge, and having loved that book, I could not stop reading. No only did she reframe her challenges, the girl actually found advantages in her difficulties. When her teacher went to the teaching lounge, the teacher kept her microphone on accidently, so the girl could hear all the teacher room secrets that any child would be intrigued to hear! She flipped the idea of being deaf into something that can actually have funny advantages. I could relate since I’m dyslexic and find surprising advantages in how I think despite the fact that learning how to read and spell were so difficult for me. The book is told in comics, but has a very real message. The theme is accepting differences and fitting in. A girl who could have felt sorry for herself and felt sad all the time, chose instead, a different path. In the beginning, she thinks special is bad, but by the end, she embraces and celebrates being special. She took charge of her own life, accepted herself and made it fun rather than just feeling sad. In accepting herself, this probably made others accepting as well. We should not rush to judgement when picking a book, or a friend.

This is a really good book. It's meant for younger kids, so some elements, like the toilet humor, might not appeal to older readers. The focus on what it means to be deaf, especially for a young girl that was able to hear until she got sick, is fantastic though. It's scary to think that this kind of thing could happen to anyone. 

There are a mix of uplifting and discouraging moments. I enjoyed seeing how the other characters try to help, whether they are successful or not. And it was awesome to learn about the Phonic Ear. This is something that I never knew existed and reading about how much it was able to help is wonderful. The interactions with the other kids and the illustrations would appeal to the intended readers in particular. But the overall experience of reading this book is enlightening.

My 10yo son chose this book for this year's Global Reading Challenge, and it happened to be a pick for the Diverse Books Club. I decided to count it as my Newbery book for the month - and I'm so glad I did! It's the autobiographical story of author Cece Bell's hearing loss after contracting meningitis when she was a child, and navigating school/her peers with a hearing aid in the 1970s. It reminded me a great deal of Smile, Raina Telgemeier's autobiographical story of resilience - her's after having a childhood filled with jaw surgeries. Both are funny, heartwarming and have great themes for kids. My youngest (7) even read it and we spent a lot of time looking up Cece Bell on Youtube and learning all about the differing abilities of the deaf community.

This is a good book for children & adults alike. It shows the struggles of a child dealing with feeling different from their peers. Cece is struggling with the loss of her hearing, after meningitis. She has hearing aids & must come to terms with what this means for her life. You get to see her inner turmoil, while watching her outward responses. It helps you understand that sometimes people suffer through our "kindness", because they aren't sure how to express what they really need.

In a culture that is dealing with the increased rate of suicide, this book shows you how someone can feel lonely, surrounded by people.

At first I thought the author wasn't aware of modern technology when the main character originally wore a big hearing aid in a harness. But after learning the book is an autobiography and her childhood happened in the past, that made sense. The book gives an excellent portrayal of what it was like for a kid to loose her hearing. Kids who are different from others in any way will be able to identify with the main character and anyone who reads the book will learn to understand and sympathize with others. I'm not sure why the characters are all rabbits (rabbit ears??) but the illustrations are cute and reluctant readers will enjoy the graphic novel format. I hope lots of schools will get this book for their libraries.

I am a 5th grade language arts teacher and this book is very popular among all of my students right now. I read El Deafo recently to see what the fuss is about, and was sorely disappointed.

While the story has a lot of potential and is unique in its autobiographical nature, in the end, it really is not about true friendship at all. Cece spends so much time infatuated with the boy next store, only to find that when he is finally interested in her, he is just taking advantage of her hearing aid to get away with classroom antics while the teacher is away. Her "friends" seem the same, simply interested in her because of her disability. There is little in the way of her classmates showing interest in her actual personality. A la 'Grease', the lesson the reader walks away with here is simply that to be popular and 'cool', just impress the people around you with material objects and appearances.

In addition, it seems as if the author made an attempt to depict a multicultural cast of characters, but the attempt is small and the characters are rabbits, which doesn't lead the reader, especially a young reader, to even take note. Because the author chose to use slightly-tinted rabbit fur instead of human faces, I'm not even sure students are subconsciously internalizing a multicultural norm.

What's more, there were many instances in the book where teachers, underage youth, and parents are seen smoking cigarettes and where Cece's teacher abandons her class for long stretches of time to take smoke breaks and gossip with other teachers. Is this necessary? Am I missing something? These parts were confusing and seemed to add nothing of substance or meaning to the story, and represented behaviors that are typically frowned upon as we raise children. A teacher who disciplines by publicly shaming the class 'rotten spots'? No thank you. I will not be recommending this book to students or families.

Zoe's Review: Although I do not normally read graphic novels, I decided to make an exception with this one. I had met the author and heard great things about it, so I was excited to read it. It was really cute and great, exactly what I thought it would be. This book is about Cece, she loses her hearing when she is four and has to wear hearing aids from then on. This book shows what it is like to be deaf and to use hearing aids, that is not what it is all about. A major part of this book is her quest for a true friend. I really liked this book and it taught me a lot about what it is like to use a hearing aid, I had never truly understood before. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good friendship story or what it is like to be deaf. I would also say that this book is intended for middle or elementary schoolers, not high school (although that does not mean that they can not read it (look at me)). I give this book four stars because it was really cute and had a great message.

Maci's Review: El Deafo by Cece Bell is sweet and to the point. It is about a girl named Cece who looses her hearing when she is little and how she copes with it. She gets hearing aides and learns to lip read so that she can better understand what is going on around her. For her first year of school she is in a class where everyone is like her and uses hearing aides. But her family moves to a new town and she starts at a new school. At this new school she has to figure out how to make friends, but first how to accept herself. She has to accept herself before she can be accepted by others. This graphic novel shows a neat perspective on what it is like to be deaf. It also shows how you need to accept yourself to be happy and make friends. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked Smile by Raina Telgemeier or a story about acceptance.

I’m not exactly an avid reader of graphic novels, but “El Deafo” made me feel like I’m seriously missing out. That is, of course, if they are at least half as good as Cece Bell’s memoir in pictures.
This book is a little bit of everything – an autobiography, a graphic novel, a poignant story told in a humorous voice, an MG read… The narrative is written through pictures and “bubbles” and is so touching and emotive that reader of any age would find himself pulled in “El Deafo” for an almost depressingly short amount of time.

Personally, I enjoyed Cece’s story THAT much more because it started with a disease that I am intimately familiar with, and which is never (or maybe I just haven’t come across it yet) addressed in literature. The way her life turned upside down at the beginning made me feel a little “something” deep inside and took this graphic novel from “just a memoir of a person I don’t know” to a whole different level .
Now when it comes to books that tackle difficult subjects (and by no means “El Deafo” is unbearably tragic or devastatingly heartbreaking for kids to enjoy), it all comes down to the voice in which the story is told. Here, the tone is humorous and hopeful which is perfect for a graphic novel that balances on the verge of entertainment, yet still delivers a dose of serious issues to the readers. Despite Cece’s struggle with her sudden deafness and adolescent angst, she always has this unwavering positivity and hilarious pragmatism that shines through her interactions with family, friends and inner dialogue. Her “El Deafo” never gets drowned in depression or self-pity and comes out rather dominantly in the situations when “real” Cece isn’t sure what to do.

The fact that “El Deafo” is told through the images of bunnies (I do wonder about connection between big ears and deafness) makes the graphic novel entertaining (and let’s be honest – absolutely adorable) for an older audience and very appealing for a younger one. Each would be able to find something in it, be it a familiar funny thought or an awkward moment. Family dynamics, school and friendship issues, first “falling-in-love” moment, coming to terms with disability – all of this and more told though pictures ultimately make “El Deafo” everyone’s book.

Nowadays, there are award-winning graphic novels everywhere, a glorious thing, particularly when it comes to kids’ books. El Deafo, for example, would be a wonderful next choice for someone who loved the graphic memoir Smile. Both are simply (but cleverly) illustrated stories of the struggles of a girl in middle school, looking to make friends and find her place while dealing with a visual difference from the others.

El Deafo is Cece Bell’s autobiographical story of being hearing impaired after a childhood bout with meningitis. She goes to school with a receiver hung around her neck, wires connecting it to the pieces in her ears, and a microphone to give to her teacher, so she can directly hear what the instructor is saying. This “phonic ear” makes it possible for her to interact with others, but she’s embarrassed about what the kids will think of her with this gear.

She frequently fantasizes about her difference making her better, with superhero interludes that demonstrate how powerful that metaphor can be in accepting and valuing what makes her unique. The phonic ear means she can actually hear things others can’t, as the teachers don’t take off the microphone when they leave the classroom. As she thinks, “superheroes might be awesome, but they are also different”, with an image of a lonely Batman, back turned to us. It’s a multi-layered comparison that gives her comfort and symbolizes her feelings.

Bell’s characters are all rabbits, an intelligent choice. The way the ears come out the top of the head foregrounds her concern about how visible the wires to her hearing aids are, while making the characters more universal (and cute). For a story about the function of ears, it’s a good idea to have characters with prominent ones.

Bell walks the reader through the process of becoming acclimated to her new challenges. The character Cece is fitted for hearing aids, worries about what her friends will think, struggles with comprehension, learns to lip-read, moves to a new neighborhood, and tries to make friends. These other girls — and one guy crush — treat her in different ways, each giving more insight into how Cece works through her relationships. While her mom tries to tell her that “special” is good, Cece worries that “special” means “weird”. Beyond her impairment, any kid can identify with that feeling.

Along the way we get clever visual indicators of how the world sounds to her now, with phonetic spellings giving the reader more sympathy for the experience and blank word balloons indicating her inability to hear. It’s a simple device, but a potent one, and a bit scary. There’s a significant sequence where she explains the steps of figuring out what people are saying with lip-reading that provides an important lesson in how to interact with deaf people to the reader.

Much of her storytelling is conventionally straightforward, showing Cece at home, in the neighborhood, and at school, but her occasional use of metaphorical panels really opens up the book, as when she, in a class of other young deaf students, strides across the cosmos as she narrates how “we are lost, drifting along on our own planets. But we are together in the same universe, at least!”

It is no surprise to me that this won the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. It’s a comfortable book, providing insight into an experience many haven’t thought about in a way that creates empathy and understanding. It can easily be underestimated, seeming to have been simple to create but with real depth in the choices made and the techniques used. (Review originally posted at ComicsWorthReading.com)

My older daughter (age 8) has been fascinated by Raina Telgemeier’s SMILE and SISTERS – she has read them over and over again. She loves the graphic novel format and I think she is intensely drawn by the realism of the books. When I learned of this book, I thought it would be right up her alley. She did, in fact, read it straight through rather quickly and seemed pretty into it, but she hasn’t been as passionate about it (in fact, she’s now gone back to re-reading SMILE and SISTERS yet again). The main character in this book is a bit younger than Telgemeier’s protagonist, which might have something to do with her relative lack of interest. Also, this book lacks a bit of Telgemeier’s realism as the characters are portrayed as bunny-like creatures, presumably because of the focus on ears and hearing.

On its own terms, however, this is excellent book for young readers (and old). It is an honest, personal portrayal of one girl’s struggle to grow up on the edge of the hearing world after a childhood illness leaves her deaf. Cece’s deafness is amenable to hearing aids, but that by no means solves her problems. Even though she can now hear again, words are garbled, lip reading is difficult (especially in the dark), and is everyone staring at her cords?

Cece goes through a variety of adaptations. She gets a very powerful “Phonic Ear” for use at school, which makes everything very clear, but it’s big and it has cords that show and she has to go up to the front of the room to give her teacher the microphone. At home she gets a new hearing aid that fits behind her ears where it’s not as noticeable, but it also doesn’t work as well. Cece struggles to adapt and fit in as a “normal” kid, but she’s usually left feeling awkward and isolated in her “bubble” of loneliness. As she grows, she fantasizes that her disability (for such the young Cece views it, even though many deaf people do not view their deafness as a disability) actually makes her a superhero, hence, “El Deafo”. As she grows and realizes that many people can and will accept her for who she is, she both really becomes and gives up the need for El Deafo.

This book challenges many of the stereotypes and incorrect assumptions that people tend to hold about deaf people. That increased volume helps. That speak-ing. Ve-ry. Slow-ly. helps. That all deaf people know and use sign language. Even Cece’s mother makes some of the same mistakes and assumptions, which results in weekly torture as Cece is dragged to a sign language class at her church.

And, of course, Cece is a normal little girl. Aside from her deafness, she has the same sorts of ups and downs as other children. Trying to find a friend who understands her without controlling her. Losing that friend over a freak accident. Getting glasses. Having her first crush. All of these experiences are both universal and personal, which helps to make Cece a character we can identify and engage with. Hopefully readers will learn a little bit about deafness and be better able to put themselves in a deaf person’s shoes. But also readers should learn that each deaf person experiences his or her deafness differently, and that deafness is only one aspect of his/her life experience.

I recommend this book for all ages. While the graphic format makes the book more appealing for younger or more reluctant readers, it is a story that holds much even for more fluent readers. The graphic format allows us to put ourselves more fully into Cece’s shoes and see the world from her point of view, made all the more poignant because vision is such an important way for Cece to compensate and adapt to her world. The frames where the words literally disappear from the speech bubbles are especially profound, creating a visceral sense of what it would be like to live in a silent world. I think the book would lose a lot if it were told in standard narrative prose.

The author’s note at the end is also important as the author stresses that the book represents her – and only her – experience with deafness. Other people experience it and adapt to it differently, including many deaf people who make no effort to acquire hearing but instead treasure the silent world of the deaf community.

But again, the issue of deafness is only one reason to read this book. Mainly it is simply a charming coming of age story of a girl learning who she is because of, in spite of and besides her disability.

In this poignant graphic novel memoir, Cece Bell shows older readers what it’s like to grow up differently abled. At age 4, Cece was stricken with meningitis, a disease that would claim nearly all of her ability to hear. Fitting in at school is hard anyway, but imagine having to do it with your Phonic Ear receiver strapped to your chest!

As she navigates through school and friendships and crushes and fallings out in the 1960s and 70s, Cece is funny and inspiring. Never whiny about her disability, she springs into life headfirst (though she does sometimes indulge herself in daydreams in which she can become the superhero El Deafo) and excels socially and academically despite the special challenges that she faces. Better still, Cece’s friends start to view her disability as something of a special ability when they make the discovery that she can use the Phonic Ear to listen in on everything their teacher is up to when she steps out of the classroom. Yes, everything, even bathroom breaks and teacher’s lounge conversations.

Though it obviously has shaped her life in some significant ways, Cece doesn’t let her deafness define her, and she is very realistic and relatable (even as a cartoon bunny!). The graphic novel approach is perfect for this subject—the illustrations are warm and inviting, and the thought bubbles are a perfect way to show what a deaf person’s world might look like to them. Highly recommended, both for its terrific story and characters as well as a tool to accepting and understanding those who are differently abled.

Read alikes: Wonder, by R.J. Palacio; Smile, by Raina Telgemeier

This review originally appeared at ABookandaHug.com

El Deafo is not like any other graphic novel that I have come across (though I have not looked much, but this book is going to change my mind about that). My kids generally like graphic novels usually for their silliness, and El Deafo is not like that at all. It tells a wonderful story from age 4 to 5th grade of a girl named Cece. Much of it is about navigating friendships and feeling different.
I did find some parts that went on a bit (especially about her struggles watching TV - I understood the references to the '70s tv, but it will be totally lost on the target audience). It is also not an action packed story, it is a realistic one, which my daughter enjoyed.
My nine year old daughter is dyslexic and this graphic novel provided her with so many visual cues to help understand the story. If you read this review and know of other graphic novels that give a great story, especially realistic fiction like this, please leave a comment with the titles.

Bell does a stellar job showing the emotional process she went through as a kid, trying to fit in and find friendship. It can be tough when you have a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest during the school day! Anyone who felt or feels out of place while growing up will appreciate kid Cece’s struggles. Also, the people are drawn as bunnies, which is a plus in my book.

My husband was afraid this would be an after-school special about a Very Important Topic but after only a few pages, he was hooked. I'd recommend it for even younger elementary kids if they’re okay with what my early elementary son calls “crush stuff” (i.e. schoolyard romance.) I saw a girl of about 8-10 in the library with it the other day, and her dad said she’d read it three times already. Go comics!

The best book ever! i read it like 2-3 times each day. its just so good! by the way, with the, you know, H word… its like WHAT DO YOU EXCPECT?!?! DO YOU SERIOUSLY A TEACHER HAS EVER TRIED A HEARING AID AND KNOW HOW STRONG THE RADIO WAVES SENT BY THE MICROPHONE IS?!?! i mean, cmon! its not like any of the teachers know how strong the microphone is and the bad stuff the 1 and 2 reviewers made, well, lets just you folks have bad taste in humor and especially potty humor for teachers and stuff.

'El Deafo'by Cece Bell is a graphic novel intended for younger readers. It's biographical and tells her experiences of hearing loss and trying to cope in a hearing world.

The story is told with animal characters and goes through Cece's younger life. She lost her hearing through a childhood disease and was too young to understand or express it. She ended up with hearing aids that helped her hear again. Sort of. She goes to schools for the deaf, and, eventually, schools with no deaf students. She wears a bulky hearing aid and wires and that makes her stand out. Her biggest problem is learning to read lips and understand what people are saying.

I only received about 26 pages of this graphic novel, but I loved what I read. Cece Bell writes honestly, but with humor (from misunderstanding what people are saying to hearing WAY too much). Young readers will find much to like here, especially if they feel like they don't fit in and need to find a place to fit in. Well done!

I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Abrams, Amulet Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this great graphic novel.

El Deafo by Cece Bell tells Cece’s very personal story about how she became deaf and discovered her own “superpower.”

El Deafo is great, because it shows that deaf kids are just like other kids. They just want to have friends, especially a best friend. They aren’t perfect, and they don’t want to be treated differently because they’re deaf. Cece also explains some of the struggles of being deaf that most of us hearing people don’t know anything about, like the difficulty of going to a sleepover party when you can’t read lips in the dark. Cece isn’t perfect, and she doesn’t always make the right choices, but that’s okay. What real kid does? El Deafo has also won several prestigious awards, and it’s no wonder why: El Deafo rocks!

Woohoo! A graphic novel that proves to teachers and parents what kids and librarians already know - graphic novels are "real" books that tell real stories in a quality way! El Deafo is a perfect book for kids (and their librarians!) to give to skeptical parents and teachers who question whether graphic novels are "real" books. Bell tells her life story growing up as a child in Roanoke, VA while learning to live with her hearing loss and wearing the "Sonic Ear". Such a great story for kids to learn about someone who didn't let her hearing loss get in the way of living her life but even better, the book is truthful and we experience Bell's embarrassments, joys and frustrations. If you haven't given graphic novels a try, now is your chance! Even better, it just won a 2015 Newbery Honor medal, making it even more appealing to teachers!

El Deafo is a delightful romp of a graphic novel portraying the life of Cece Bell, its author, who grew up with a hearing impairment. It’s a graphic novel memoir, and it tells the heartwarming story of a girl navigating a world with a hearing aid, and all this entails for her friendships, schooling, and family life.

We get an insider’s glimpse into what it’s like to be a girl who has trouble hearing, surrounded by other kids and teachers who don’t have this issue. The result is often laugh out loud funny and you’ll be definitely be cheering for Cece throughout this award-winning story. She has her ups and downs, and that’s what makes this book especially realistic.

I hadn’t even heard of El Deafo until it came to my attention at the ALA Youth Media Awards. It didn’t take me long to get into the book to understand why this one had attracted awards. To be honest, I had never thought much about what it would be like to be a child losing your hearing, and adjusting to a fairly different way of existing in the world. You’re surrounded by other people who can hear and understand each other, but you can’t (without a little help). Bell’s depiction of her childhood adjusting to this new life and culture is refreshing and honest.

The book is episodic and covers multiple years in the life of its protagonist–we watch Cece struggle with life in school with a giant hearing aid, and watch how her perception of herself affects the way she interacts with others. But as time goes by, and she recognizes the “power” she has due to her hearing aid, this perception of herself begins to change. I loved the imagination and creativity of this protagonist–I can imagine that this graphic novel would probably work well as a read aloud too.

This graphic novel comes strongly recommended, whether you’re a fan of graphic novels or not. This one is accessible and engages with topics we can all appreciate—the search for a true friend, the struggle to fit in, and the difficulties of switching schools.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live with a hearing impairment, you’ll want to read this book for its insightful and sensitive treatment of what it means for a young girl to navigate the world of deafness. The result is a beautiful celebration of a creative and imaginative spirit who deserves to find a solid friend—because Cece herself is a reliable friend. I appreciated the way Bell portrays Cece’s different encounters with other girls in her school or neighborhood as she seeks a “partner in crime.” Not everything went smoothly for Cece, and that made it seem more realistic.

I loved how Cece gradually grew to appreciate her Phonic Ear—in fact, it turned her into a kind of super hero! Cece is on a journey to find a true friend, and there’s bumps along the way, but ultimately the book illuminates how friends appreciate us for our differences, and that genuine friendship is worth the wait.

Cece is such a delightful character—not only do we meet her in the narrative’s text, but we encounter her through Bell’s colorful and expressive comics.
A stunning middle grade story about a lovely girl—a graphic novel memoir that is a sure winner for young and old alike!

This is a sweet book and I love how it's telling what she thinks and what she says. In this book, I think Cece told about 1 part of her childhood. I like how it's like Cece has Laura as a friend who doesn't mind her hearing aid but is kind of bossy and they have bad times and Ginny who was nice but did mind her hearing aid. Then she meets Martha and she is nice and doesn't mind hearing aid. When Cece turned her hearing aid off on Martha, Martha wishes she has a hearing aid. At the end Cece has a lot of friends. This is a fun and delightful srory/auto-biagrophy. I love this book andI hope everyone likes this book too! I would reccomend it to everyone. Everyone cheer! El Deafo is here

Good for hesitant readers/young readers. This true story told in pictures (graphic novel) helps the general population connect to people who happen to have hearing issues. The reader will realize that just because someone has a disability, it doesn't define her and that all people have feelings. This also might be a good book to read with a child who will be getting a cochlear implant.

I really enjoyed this book. It was touching to read a book written from a deaf kid's point of view. When I was growing up, kids with any disabilities were in a different classroom, and we were never taught to see them as classmates, so I always feared them. How great it is now, when we can be open and honest with kids, and help them see that the disabled kids are kids too, with feelings, hopes and dreams of their own.

At the young age of four, Cece gets meningitis and becomes deaf. But, she stays positive about her situation, does well in school, and makes friends. In her imagination, Cece is a superhero called El Deafo, who uses her disability as a super-ability. This book has lots of funny parts and is a joy to read. Through cute bunny characters and well-drawn panels, this graphic novel displays a powerful message. Good for kids ages 8+. I really liked the drawings and the fun, positive style. Also that Cece makes lists and charts about her life.

This book is a perfect read for someone to learn about what it is like to be a deaf child. The story is in comic book form. You can read it in one sitting. The story is the childhood memories of a girl growing up deaf, although she was hearing before. I like Deaf culture and Sign Language. This story offers a personal account and a different perspective. I am hearing and always have been, but I can relate to the main character because she feels different and learns to navigate different relationships.

Thoughts: I love the premise of El Deafo. A true story - one that could really be quite heavy - about a young girl with disabilities (of a sort) trying to get through school. This seems like a very generic story, especially since books like Wonder have begun to get more common, but the special thing about this book is that it's a graphic novel. And, surprisingly, it works. It gives a creative feel to the book (so does the fact that all of the character are portrayed as human-like rabbits!), yet still manages to be touching and connect with the reader. I also loved how the book is more about finding the perfect friend and accepting your differences in the end, rather than the main character making a huge deal about her disability. In addition, El Deafo had a lot of great character, humor, and charm to it. In this way, a story that could've been extremely generic was transformed into something truly special.
However, this book isn't all perfect, either. There were a few things that bothered me, just a little. For one, there was a slight episodic feel to it - Cece gets a best friend, the friend starts out perfectly fine, and then begins to get on her nerves. Then Cece finds a new friend, and it starts all over again until she finally finds "the true friend." I realize that I mentioned this as being a positive to the story - the fact that El Deafo is also about finding a perfect friend - but it could've been told in a less episodic way. And the whole thing with Cece getting a crush on Mike Miller, her neighbor, just didn't work for me. Yes, it was humorous at first, but it started to take away from the story. I especially didn't like it when Mike convinces Cece to use her hearing aid to make trouble in class at the end of the book. This showed, very clearly, peer pressure, yet it was portrayed as a good thing in this book. I get it - it was important to Cece that she was finally accepted for who she was. But I have a feeling there was another way this could've been shown.
Overall, I really did enjoy this book (I've already reread it) but there were a few problems with the message being shown at the end of the book.

This book is more oriented to children who have recently lost their hearing and their parents, however, I would recommend for all readers.

The story follows Cece a small 4 year old rabbit how after coming ill with meningitis loses her hearing. The story follows her feelings as to dealing with being deaf and how she comes to view her first difference and then superpower.

Hearing loss can be very challenging especially for children, however, as this book shows, there's nothing wrong with being deaf and vocalizing your feeling goes a long way to make children come to terms with their conditions.

El Deafo is a book about a girl who is deaf. She has a hard in life like at school and at home. She worries that she wouldn’t get a friend. Will she get a friend? Read the book to find out!
My favorite part is when she begins to get deaf and everything is getting quieter and quieter. I like that part because it has a lot of action and she is confused.
Someone who likes graphic novels would like this book. I would recommend this book to others because this book is full of surprises. It also can be both sad and happy.

The book Eldeafo is a story about a girl that was 4 years old and her brain started to swell. She went to the hospital and they fixed her, she had to stay there for a few days. She had to learn to walk again, but that did not take too long. After that day she was always was with her mom, until she lost her mom in the house she could not hear her mom screaming, when her mom came over they both new that she could not hear. After she got hearing ads she moved. On her first day of school she gave her teacher a microphone that made it so she can hear the teacher. If you want to know why the stories called Eldeafo then read the book. I would recommend this book for 7 and up. Hope you enjoy!

Cece wants what every kid wants - to be accepted and to have friends. She finds that her hearing aids make her stand out, and not always for the right reasons. The author does a great job of giving insight into the world of hearing aids and those who feel different. Even without a different ability to hear, we all feel this way at some point, so the message is really universal. I learned from this book that people who are hard of hearing don't need the volume turned up - it is more complicated than that.

Right away, readers will realize why Cece Bell’s graphic novel El Deafo became a Newbery Honor Book. The wonderful illustrations and the insights into a deaf child’s loneliness and shame at being different make this book a joy to read. I couldn’t put it down! Another reminder that children’s books can be wasted on the kids.

I bought this book for my daughter, who is deaf in one ear. At the time, she was six, and just looking at the book made her panic and say "I have a headache." Now she's eight. The other day she said "What's that book?" and I told her it was a graphic novel about a woman with hearing loss, and she took it down and was instantly lost in it. She loves it now. As I knew she would the minute I read it. Cece is wonderful and so is El Deafo.

I bought this as a birthday gift for my 12 year old son. It is a Golden Sower nominee for 16-17 (children's choice award in Nebraska). He has read and reread it several times. Each time he comes away having seen something new. He thought the beginning was sad. But he keeps rereading it. He asks a lot of questions concerning popular culture and the way things actually were in the past, like teachers smoking in the teachers lounge.

We got this from the library, and it is being read over and over again by my first grader. I was surprised because she usually wants "real" super hero books or scary things, but she seems to just really relate to the child in the story. Even named an avatar after her in the computer game she plays sometimes. She initially asked a lot of questions because she doesn't know anyone with a hearing impairment, and this was all a new idea to her, but after that she just seemed to really love the character and the story.

It's an #ownvoices work (about disability) that both entertains and enlightens. It inspires feelings of nostalgia about the ups and downs of what being a kid was like. As a memoir, it perfectly combines real life with entertainment. I couldn't put it down!

My daughter is in 4th grade and a reluctant reader. Any time we can find a book that piques her interest, we go for it. She already loves graphic novels and books about real kids with real problems (i.e. Wonder, Out of My Mind) so I am very happy to say that she LOVED El Deafo. She devoured it. Read it in a day. It instilled much pride in her for being able to do that and it is that love of reading I want to encourage. Thank you Ms. Bell for sharing your story.

My 8 year old daughter got this book for Christmas and read it in three days. She stayed up late reading until I turned the light off on her, checked on her in the morning and she was reading again. She told me she LOVED the book and wants more like it. My daughter has profound hearing loss in one ear and has worn a hearing aid since she 5.

My child is a good reader, but this is the very first book she has read ravenously, start to finish, just for fun, in less than a day. She thanked me for it four times. She says it's the best book she has ever read. I have not even read "El Deafo" yet but I feel so grateful to the author based on my daughter's reaction and recommendation, that I am posting this immediately. So THANK YOU! Looking for recommendations of books that might inspire her further, if anyone has them post in comments!

I'm ten years old and in the fourth grade as well, and I love this book. It has so many great details that you can always go back and find a nother great part to read about. I read this book at least three times a week, it seems like it just doesn't get old. Parts can be laugh out loud hilarious, bringing tears at times, but can realate so well to other kids' life it is almost spooky. I highly reccommend this book for all ages.

The NYPL recommended this title to me after I'd read several of Raina Telgemeier's graphic novels. The recommendation was spot on! El Deafo is different to Raina Telgemeir's work, but similar in quality and heart. CeCe Bell has done an amazing job of sharing her childhood journey of growing up with a hearing problem. Anyone who has ever felt that they were different to the mainstream will relive all the emotions that this entails while reading this book, but will have it all softened by Bell's humor. This is a sweet and insightful novel and gives insight into how to treat others without being annoyingly didactic. I will definitely be buying this for my niece and nephew!

My daughter was excited to receive this book. She knew I was purchasing books but didn't know which one. Once she opened this she was so excited because she learned about this book from school. Great read and great lesson in this story.

You'll find (I believe) that most books can be a bit over the top. Most books for young adults have the same theme: Boy and Girl meet, they fall in love. Some books are REALLY sad too. This book is a refreshing break. The narrator is hopeful, and doesn't pretend that nothing is bad, but also doesn't believe that nothing is good. This book is a true story about a girl who needs hearing-aids. It's told incredibly well, and I believe that it should be read by everyone.

My daughter (age 12) was assigned to read this book for a literature class and to leave an the store review. She writes: "I really enjoyed this fun and silly book. It is a little inappropriate. For example, there is potty humor and smoking. But over all, I really loved the moral and my only regret is that there isn't another one."

a soon as this book started, I was already excited. I had read as many book hooks and reveiws as I could. I was ready. it freakee me out a bit when cece got sick, but i soon laughed when she couldn't hear the lady who was giving her ice cream, and was then jelous of the girl who kept getting ice cream next to her in the hospital. Come on, a hospital scene can't be all sad. throughout the book, it was the same. some sad scenes, but with added humor. since i got this book, i read it 5 times. I highly recommend this book. Goodbye for now!

I absolutely loved this book. The author, and fabulous illustrator, really bring to life her experiences navigating life as an elementary school student who is deaf. Bell really helps the reader empathize and understand how others’ perceptions of deafness impact her engagement with those around her. This read is truly essential in bringing awareness to these issues, and hopefully, the more people who read this book, the fewer challenges those with hearing impairments will experience.

I really liked this book, when I found out that it was a autobiography I loved it even more! I would definitely recommend this book to people who love reading and people who don't. I personally am not deaf but still I can relate to some things in the book. To people who haven't read the book yet I won't spoil anything but, let me just say I loved how it ended!

El Deafo is a book about a girl named Cece who is deaf. She is trying to find friends, but she doesn’t believe in herself and she is having a hard time making friends. When Cece is in kindergarten, she goes to a school for deaf children. She figures out that she is not the only one who is deaf. The book is called El Deafo, because Cece imagines herself to be a superhero with super hearing powers. I would recommend this book to kids ages 7-10. I liked the plot of the book better than most other graphic novels, but the art was just okay.
Review by Moses A, age 7, Atlanta Youth Mensa

I like how the author showed kids the process and what it is like to get hearing aids. I also like how to the author made the book appropriate for kids. I also like how the author made the book really intriguing. I would definitely recommend this book.

Written by a 9 year old

I began reading this with my nine year old son. The next day, I could not wait to find out what happened in chapter five. I was delighted to read about a girl I could relate to growing up in the 70's. I loved the pop culture references. The story hooked me. The challenges. The stubbornness. The BFF search. I just really loved this sweet story. I wish it never ended. Now, I need to give it back to my son to read.

My 10 year old son checked this book out from the school library. He loved it so much that I had to buy it from the store. He carries it in his backpack and reads it over and over again. At this point I think he has read it 40 times. A++++

My seven year old could not put this down, and that is with her iPad calling her attention. This book also has a great message, and this caveat is all too lacking in books, movies, and all of the other mediums of our culture.

I loved the comic format of the book. The colors were vibrant and fun. I had bouts of dislike for the main character, but things changed as the story develops and I had to keep in mind that this is a young girl figuring out her life and who she is like any young girl, except she has a significant impairment.

Via my 10-year old daughter, I have read a lot of graphic novels for kids. This ranks among the best -- CeCe Bell is a peer to Raina Telgemier, Jeff Smith, JImmy Gownley, Faith Erin Hicks, Dave Roman and all the other great writer-illustrators today. El Deafo is a great story, has great artwork and a big heart. Basically, its about a universal thing in life---the search for friendship. It is made more poignant perhaps because the lead character is deaf. That heightens the drama of it. I wish I could give it 6 stars.

I really enjoyed the book. I bought 30 copies for a 4th grade Book Club and the students have really been enjoying it also. I'm hoping that after reading it and discussing it they will have a better understanding of what it's like for someone that loses their hearing. We have a little boy at our school that this had happened to and it gave me great insight to him and what he deals with. Reading it in comic style was a little different for me but it sure excited the students. Would recommend it to adults or kids.

As much as this is about being deaf, it's also about so many different stages of life. I think people forget that being a kid is made up of so many discrete granular ages. This book does a great job of showing that and and all the various issues with friendship and acceptance that make kids feel like they are cut off from one another. Sure, it sheds insight into what it is like growing up with a disability, but it also shows a lot of what it means to be a kid.

El Deafo is one of the best graphic novels that I have ever read. I enjoyed the story and I love that it is an autobiography. I learned to be more thougthful of people and their special needs. I also learned some things about friendship while reading this book. You can learn a lot from your friends. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages!

I read El Deafo because Shannon Hale recommends it highly and often. I enjoyed it, and I especially appreciated that it ended where it did, not moving all the way to the present or adulthood but at a significant resolution point still in childhood.

This is a fjne book, that not only covers the world of deaf children, but also touches on all the angst of school days everyone experiences. It is fun, intelligent, and thoughtful. I highly recommend it to one and all.

I would recommend this book because it is a true story about a girl who overcame the challenges of being deaf. At first people don't like her, but later as she ages, people get to know her better and they want to be her friend. She meets nice and no-so-nice people. Her favorite friend is Martha because she accepts her no matter what she looks like with her hearing aids.

it will crack your hart into a design of love.it is novel about a girl that has hearing aids and her friends are acting negative to her what is she going to do to stop them for people that like happy

Wonderful and captivating story and pictures. Resonates with any child who has ever worried about being different. A family favorite. My 9 year old wants to know what happens next, and wants to pass on the message that she’d love a book about El Deafo and her sidekick.

I have just finished this fantastic book. This is a great book for everyone especially because this book pulls you in.I read it in one day and it as easy but i would think that this book would be for 3rd through 4th grade range.I hope that you guys will read this one.i would allso say that if you do not like sad books do not read this but this book is a funny and has drama and sad parts in it thank you for reading

If you thought that my review was good please comment or give me feedback

This book is the best book I have ever read in my life.It teaches you about struggles in life.But when you look back at this book you will be amazed at all the sadness and humiliation comes along with this girls life.At the same time her story is amazing.And there is one thing that comes with her life more than anything,hope.?

We are reading El Deafo to my 6 year old, and my daughter asks us to read it to her every night. She loves the story and gets very caught up in the characters and drawings. Definitely would recommend to anyone, especially those with young children navigating through friendship, going through school and first crushes. Thank you, Ms. Bell for sharing your story with us.

This is amazing, unique memoir that really captures the experience of what it's like to grow up and the difficulties that all children have connecting with people. The fact that Cece Bell went deaf only highlighted these feelings that most children share. It's hilarious, moving and evocative and a must-read for all lovers of both memoirs and graphic novels. Buy this one and you won't regret it!

I have to admit that this is the first graphic novel I have real and I loved it. Once skeptical, I see the value in these books for middle level readers. I teach struggling readers and think this type of book will definitely hook many of them!

I was not expecting a memoir story, but it really is. The story of how CeCe lost her hearing and the feelings she dealt with interacting with others through elementary school.

Perfect! Sweet and honest book! It has everything and explains the journey of deaf child (thru one particular experience). Beautiful and cute illustrations. I also recognize much of her experience because we are the same age range and I grew up in the DC metro area.
So familiar and education.

This was a wonderful story of perseverance and determination. Our differences can be the difference in someone's life. I'm still tearing up over the ending. It makes me thankful for the true friends I have in my life.

'El Deafo'by Cece Bell is a graphic novel intended for younger readers. It's biographical and tells her experiences of hearing loss and trying to cope in a hearing world.

The story is told with animal characters and goes through Cece's younger life. She lost her hearing through a childhood disease and was too young to understand or express it. She ended up with hearing aids that helped her hear again. Sort of. She goes to schools for the deaf, and, eventually, schools with no deaf students. She wears a bulky hearing aid and wires and that makes her stand out. Her biggest problem is learning to read lips and understand what people are saying.

I only received about 26 pages of this graphic novel, but I loved what I read. Cece Bell writes honestly, but with humor (from misunderstanding what people are saying to hearing WAY too much). Young readers will find much to like here, especially if they feel like they don't fit in and need to find a place to fit in. Well done!

I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Abrams, Amulet Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this great graphic novel.

I am 9 years old and in 4th grade. I don't have a high reading level, but this book made it seem like I did. It was a really good book and it was also touching. I'm really into stories about the deaf, and I've never really been into graphic novels, but this book made it seem fun. I feel sorry for Cece for everything that happened in the book. When will the sequel come out? And I also like that everything was rabbits.

I love this book. If you are still on the fence about graphic novels...don't be! This is the one to change your mind. Think back to your worries and fears as a kid, then imagine tackling those same troubles with giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! Sometimes your heart breaks for CeCe, but she will also make you laugh. I highly recommend.

I adored this book. Cece Bell has captured both a very familiar and yet very personal story about growing up with hearing challenges. Readers will get a glimpse into a world they most likely didn't know much about, and yet is so relatable. There is something about the way she draws the bunny characters that feels immediate and real. Bravo.

Absolutely fabulous, funny, moving story. My five year old daughter couldn't get enough of it, clamoring for it at bedtime, on car rides, and even while waiting at stores. I learned more about the hearing impaired than I have in 38 years of life, and as the glowing NYT review of this says, "Bell’s book should be an inspiration for those who are “different,” and it should help others to understand just what being different means. Required reading isn’t always fun reading. “El Deafo” should be the first and is definitely the second."

We love graphic novels! The pictures in this book were colorful and amazing. The story was super cool because it made me empathize with Cece and be "in her shoes." The life lesson is about treating people with disabilities fairly or like they want to be treated. This was one of the best books that my students read! - Derrick, Xoua, Kenji, and Lilyanna

Wonderful book. It really gives you an insider view on what it is like to have a hearing disability and do life with it. As a bonus this book is beautifully illustrated and very funny. I definitely recommend this book.

What a GREAT book! Funny & smart, heartwarming & hopeful. I absolutely loved it. Highly recommended for anyone who is, or has ever been, a kid. Deaf & hearing alike will see themselves in aspects of Cece Bell's childhood. Get it online, at a store, or at your local library. I promise you'll thank me! :c)

El Deafo is a perfect balance, handling a sincere topic with humor and staying true to how a child would respond. I love that it is based on Cece Bell herself. El Deafo is definitely a new favorite of mine!

I wanted to love this book, but some of the content was a little surprising -- moms and the older sister smoking, the little girl looking at her friend's dad and thinking "Dreamy!", being told at a sleepover to look down her shirt and spell the word "attic"… I didn't really understand why those pieces were necessary for a book aimed at elementary school children and it took away from what the bigger message was supposed to be about.

My son is a reluctant reader. He can read of course, but it's never his first choice of activities. This is the first book I can remember that he completely devoured. He LOVED it, read it in 3 days and actually is going to read it again. Thank you, Cece Bell!

The characters in El Deafo are so beautifully drawn that, despite what some may consider a bizarre abstraction (bunnies?!?), they feel, sound, and look very real. Even my 6-year-old (normally attuned to superhero plots and ninjas) dug this, though the complicated social situations went way over his head.

Amazing graphic novel. Just finished reading it to my 5 year old (a few chapters each night) and she wanted to start it again immediately and wants to bring it to school to show her friends. A must read!

Amazing! Really shows friendship and also says that don't think that you're weird just because you have disabilities. Anyone who likes what I just said should read this book...it's also kind of short.

My son is a reluctant reader. He can read of course, but it's never his first choice of activities. This is the first book I can remember that he completely devoured. He LOVED it, read it in 3 days and actually is going to read it again. Thank you, Cece Bell!

The characters in El Deafo are so beautifully drawn that, despite what some may consider a bizarre abstraction (bunnies?!?), they feel, sound, and look very real. Even my 6-year-old (normally attuned to superhero plots and ninjas) dug this, though the complicated social situations went way over his head.

Amazing graphic novel. Just finished reading it to my 5 year old (a few chapters each night) and she wanted to start it again immediately and wants to bring it to school to show her friends. A must read!

Amazing! Really shows friendship and also says that don't think that you're weird just because you have disabilities. Anyone who likes what I just said should read this book...it's also kind of short.

My 11 year old daughter really enjoyed this book and asked me to read it. I was disappointed to see so many instances of the characters, including a teenager, smoking. Given the ages this book is being targeted to, why would that be included? I understand it is autobiographical, but I think that should have been left out.

here we go :
1. cheesey kid
ok, on cece's behalf it made sense in grades k-4 but after it found myself saying are u serious ? ex :
cece: hi im so cool i have twisty pencil
<i forgot his name >:gimmie <snaps pencil>
cece: waaaaaaaaaah !
NO I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP !

ok mabye i am being a bit mean in this review i had a pretty high bar for this book < when you get a auto-bi-comic with 10,000,000 5-star reviews , you kinda exspect a MC to be remotely like rainia telemier > in other words , if another deaf kid read this he would be offended . p.s. being able to hear your teacher use the lavitory i'snt funny , its plain wrong .

Disclaimer: I am not Deaf nor hard of hearing, but I have briefly studied American Sign Language/Deaf culture. So basically, I have some previous knowledge of the Deaf community but am in no way connected to it.

Cece is a young girl who loses her hearing at the age of four and struggles to make friends in school who are simultaneously accepting of her “different-ness” and aware of the accommodations that she needs to be able to understand what is going on around her.

Considering most of what I knew about the Deaf community beforehand is knowledge of how life is in the current times, it was interesting to see a depiction of life in the Deaf community during the 1970s. For example, I remember doing a report on how Marlee Matlin led the movement to make closed caption more widely available, but I didn’t even think about how this story takes place before that. So it caught me off guard when Cece can’t understand television shows because there are no captions. This adorable story exposed me to the struggles that this community dealt with before getting to where it is today.

The best part of this story is how Cece begins to see her Phonic Ear (hearing aid) as a super power when she realizes that the microphone her teachers are required to wear let her hear them from wherever they are in the building. After this, Cece becomes, El Deafo! Which is basically a reclamation of a term she sees used on television to insult a Deaf boy. She then starts to create fantasies of defeating villains, people who are inconsiderate to her deafness and feelings. When she finally meets a friend that respects her and doesn’t treat her like she’s stupid, she includes this friend, Martha, as her sidekick. The superhero metaphor is very cute and very crucial to self-acceptance. It’s perfect for the middle grade audience this is for.

The most important part of the story is that Cece also goes through childhood struggles that almost everyone goes through. Between first crushes that we deny are crushes because we’re too embarrassed, and worrying that our grades won’t meet our expectations or those of our parents/teachers, Cece faces it all! It really goes to show that despite her need to wear a hearing aid, Cece is undoubtedly just like everyone else.

Additionally, the author Cece Bell includes a note in the back of the book highlighting some key points of being a part of the Deaf Community. This is worth the read as well, because it never hurts to be aware of others’ experiences.

Final Thought: This is a wonderful own voices book, and I’m sure everyone can relate to the journey Cece partakes on to accept her differences from the rest of the world. Not only is this a beautiful emotion-focused story, but it helps to educate the hearing community of things we take for granted. Five stars!

I absolutely loved this book. The author, and fabulous illustrator, really bring to life her experiences navigating life as an elementary school student who is deaf. Bell really helps the reader empathize and understand how others’ perceptions of deafness impact her engagement with those around her. This read is truly essential in bringing awareness to these issues, and hopefully, the more people who read this book, the fewer challenges those with hearing impairments will experience.

I would recommend this book because it is a true story about a girl who overcame the challenges of being deaf. At first people don't like her, but later as she ages, people get to know her better and they want to be her friend. She meets nice and no-so-nice people. Her favorite friend is Martha because she accepts her no matter what she looks like with her hearing aids.

it will crack your hart into a design of love.it is novel about a girl that has hearing aids and her friends are acting negative to her what is she going to do to stop them for people that like happy

I really enjoyed the cartoon format!! This book was a book club pick for my 11year old granddaughter. I am pleased to read it with her & learn about growing up coping with hearing loss. Thank you for writing!

I loved this book. I have to say that I was initially intrigued by the illustrations, then the story got me.
The deafness was not necessarily the focus of the story but rather, the object of just fitting i and not feeling "different". I think every kid in school who feels left out should read this book. It's so well done and with such openness not usually found in books for kids. I'm a "older adult" fan of Children's and Young Adult literature with a rather large eclectic library and this fits in very well. Thank you for this book.

Hullo. I read this book for a literature class at my co-op, and usually I don't pay any attention to graphic novels. I know there are some people out there that love reading graphic novels, but I'm the type that reads a lot of non-graphic novel fantasy books. I liked this book because it was in the point of view of a little girl who is deaf, and is trying her best to fit in. People judge her for being deaf and having a big hearing aid on her chest all the time. I think that this book overall teaches people a lesson that you should never assume that just because somebody looks different, they should be treated different. Now, I can't exactly relate to the whole "wanting to fit in" thing, because I am a homeschooler (I am NOT a brainless, lazy person who cannot do anything for herself), and I don't really have problems with fitting in. I don't mind wearing unicorn pajamas in public or being called a nerd (which I take as a complement). Back on topic. I'm choosing to give it three stars because, well, I think that being able to relate to a book gives you a higher opinion of it, and I couldn't relate all to well to most of it. I think it's an adorable, sweet book and you should definitely try it out, even if you don't particularly enjoy graphic novels. Thanks, Cece Bell, for writing this book and sharing your childhood story. I congratulate you for getting through it with a happy attitude for most of the time, and for being brave enough to share it with the whole world. So long, random people on the internet.

El Deafo is one of the best graphic novels that I have ever read. I enjoyed the story and I love that it is an autobiography. I learned to be more thougthful of people and their special needs. I also learned some things about friendship while reading this book. You can learn a lot from your friends. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages!

My daughter (age 12) was assigned to read this book for a literature class and to leave an the store review. She writes: "I really enjoyed this fun and silly book. It is a little inappropriate. For example, there is potty humor and smoking. But over all, I really loved the moral and my only regret is that there isn't another one."