El Deafo

This graphic novel is about Cece Bell who contracted meningitis when she was young and ended up becoming deaf. This book isn't just about her being deaf but also about her making friends and liking boys and all the other things any other girl would write about. She goes through different hearing aids and discovers one that gives her super powers!

I really like the way this book was written and the message it sends. I haven't ever read a graphic novel that wasn't about super heroes so this was a breathe of fresh air! The illustrations were super cute and the way the text was written is essential to the story. I love that the book can teach you how to interact with the deaf community. Super cute book and easy read, would reccommend!

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. 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 ( )

My son lent me his copy of this book. I love how Bell shares her experience without being treacly or sanctimonious. really recommend! ( )

This was so great! I didn't realize before reading it that it's semi autobiographical, which was a nice surprise. I really enjoyed getting a personal account of what Cece went through and how she felt growing up deaf.

My brother and my mom are both hard of hearing and wear hearing aids, so I was curious was to what this might be like. I like how personal the story was, but that also the characters weren't human. I looked it up online and the author chose bunnies because they have excellent hearing, so she wanted it to be ironic that the main character did not have good hearing. Her journey through becoming deaf and then navigating the hearing world was realistic, which I liked. I felt like I saw my brother struggle through similar things when he was younger. ( )