El Deafo

El Deafo

Written and Illustrated by: Cece Bell
Genre: Graphic Novel
Grades: 3-5
Awards: Newbery Honor

This book follows a little girl at the age of 4, Cece. She enjoys doing everything like a regular 4 year old would do, play games with friends and spending time with siblings. One day, Cece was rushed to the hospital after throwing up in the living room. Turns out she had fluid in her spine and was diagnosed with meningitis. While still in the hospital, she could not hear the nurses talking to her or hear what the tv was saying in her room. While at home, she discovers that she is losing her hearing when Cece called for her mom but did not hear her respond. Eventually, Cece goes to an audiology doctor and receives a hearing aid that helped her tremendously. 

It is the first day of Kindergarten for Cece and she is placed in a classroom where the other kids look like her, with hearing aids on. Cece and the other students not only learn the basic subjects of math, reading, writing, but also how to lip-read. Summer comes and Cece and her family moves away to a small town. Cece will no longer be in a classroom like her Kindergarten one for first grade, but she gets an upgrade to a phonic ear, which is stronger than a hearing aid. With this phonic ear, her teacher wears and talk into a microphone so that Cece can hear the teacher clearly. Cece also happens to hear everything the teacher say and do, even outside of the classroom, like in the restroom or in the teacher's lounge. Cece feels like a superhero with the ability to hear everything and she calls herself El Deafo.

Cece becomes friends with Laura, but she is bossy and pushy to Cece. The next school year, Cece becomes friends with Ginny, who has the same interests as Cece and is much nicer to her. Cece finally realizes that she is tired of Ginny for calling her "deaf friend" and don't understand why she can't just be a friend, and also the fact that Cece is tired of being talked to at a slow pace while she can understand at a normal pace.

Months pass by and Cece's mother suggested that her and Cece should take a sign language a class, since Cece's hearing aid batteries can easily die. Cece does not enjoy the class at all, as she does not feel like she is being helped but actually being made fun of for being deaf. Cece befriends the girl across from her house, Martha, who is in the grade below Cece. As Cece goes into fifth grade, she become friends with Ginny again, has a crush on her new neighbor down the street, and needs glasses now. Cece eventually tells everyone on her street and even her classmates about the superhero she is, especially with the power of her hearing aid being able to hear anything. Everyone thinks that Cece is even more awesome for this.

I really loved reading this book. This book should be in every teacher's library and for the students to enjoy. This book would be best for third to fifth graders. A way to incorporate this book is by having your students write about a superpower they think they have. This is a great way for students to have more confidence about themselves.