Cece is a child who lost her hearing after she got really sick. 

And now she has to wear hearing aid to school. What so fun about this book is that it was told from a first person perspective. What is it like for her to hear sound but not able to comprehend them. Or what challenges she face when she is watching TV or lip reading in the dark (she cannot).

How a young person navigate the world and think because she has hearing aid, she is a superhero, as she could hear much more when her teacher wear the mic that make her words much clearer to her. 

It is a fun read. The graphic is really good. And Cece made friends and how friends interactive with each other. 

I would recommend this to not just children but adult too. 

Nicely done. 

El Deafo by Cece Bell is the autobiographical account of the author as a little girl after she contracted meningitis and became deaf. First point in this book's favor: The illustrations are absolutely delightful. If you were a fan of the Arthur cartoon growing up then you'll love her artistic style as it's very reminiscent of that. (The characters are all rabbits.) She focuses primarily on her experiences using the different hearing aid devices that she had growing up and how isolated it made her feel. Bell doesn't shy away from exploring her shame and 'otherness' in comparison to her family and friends which I think is refreshing in a middle grade book. The way that Cece ultimately copes with the changes and difficulties that she's experiencing is by creating an alternate persona where she uses her deafness as a superpower. (Check the picture below for an example.) I personally really loved the references of such classics as Batman (with Adam West) and one of my faves M*A*S*H. I don't know that younger readers will appreciate that as much but I thought it was a great touch. Included at the end of El Deafo is a little informational blurb about Deaf culture so if parents are reading with their kids (or teachers with their students) it makes a really awesome learning tool. I loved that kids are getting to see a character using a hearing device in a medium that is easily digestible and conveys the message that no matter what our abilities we are all 'super' in our own ways. 9/10

If you don't follow me on social media you may have been surprised/confused when I started posting a new review every day this week. I did this because I didn't want to play catch-up like I did earlier this year with books I've finished but not yet reviewed. However, I'm not seeing a ton of engagement in these posts so I want to get your opinion. Are you enjoying the more frequent posts or do you prefer once a week and you don't care when they go up? Please comment below with your thoughts! :-)

What's Up Next: Cici's Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training by Joris Chamblain with illustrations by Aurélie Neyret. 

What I'm Currently Reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

El Deafo by Cece Bell is a level X on the Fountas and Pinnell reading level scale. El Deafo is about a rabbit who is deaf and is going through struggles based on dealing with her difficulties. The story begins when she is four years old and is living a normal life, but when she contracts meningitis, the disease leaves her deaf. She has to start wearing a hearing aid and has to attend a special needs kindergarten class with other deaf students. When they move to Virginia, she is hoping to have a somewhat normal life, but has some issues with making friends. Then she has to get an even larger hearing device which makes her feel even more ostracized. To help boost her confidence, she creates a superhero named El Deafo who has super hearing. This helps her find a true friend in Martha, and gives her the courage to talk to her crush Mike who shows everyone in the neighborhood that her hearing aid is super cool. This book could be great to recommend to a student that has a hearing impairment. They can create their own superhero with a super power they wish they had and show them that they too have a “superpower” of their own. 

Cece Bell became deaf at the age of four due to an illness. She started kindergarten at a school where all of her classmates were also deaf and then started first grade in the general education setting. CeCe made a few friends who stuck around but stood about the rest and became her sidekick. Instead of treating her disability as a crutch she begins to use it as her super power with the help of the Phonic Ear and her trusty side-kick. A writing activity for students to complete after the reading of the book is to write their own graphic novel. After learning about genres students can display their comprehension of this style of writing by following the guidelines graphic novels.

In this graphic novel, Cece goes through the challenges of losing her hearing after becoming sick. She is given a huge hearing aid to strap to her chest and wear over her clothes. As Cece goes to school, she encounters more challenges and soon becomes "El Deafo, Listener for All!" Becoming El Deafo gives her the confidence she needs to continue to overcome her difficulties with friends and school. She soon meets friends that accept her for who she is and embraces her differences.

A great activity for student to do after reading this book is coming up with a superhero name and power and writing a story about it. 

Grade Level: 5-10

Level X F&P