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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
I selected this book for the 2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt "A book by or about a person who has a disability." This YA graphic novel chronicles the author's hearing loss at a young age and subsequent experiences with a device called a Phonic Ear, which is a very powerful but awkward hearing aid. When Cece's family moves, she has to deal with the challenges of being the new kid and being different in a new school. She just wants to fit in and make friends, which anyone can relate to. The author poignantly and honestly conveys the inner thoughts and feelings of her younger self. As one of the coping mechanisms, young Cece sees the Phonic Ear as giving her super-hero powers and imagines herself as El Deafo, Listener for All. This was the first graphic novel to win a Newbery Honor (in 2015), which it richly deserved.
El Deafo was surprisingly impactful and has me thinking about being deaf and my own interactions with people that are deaf, hard of hearing, or had aids or implants. It really is such an isolating experience, and reading about Ceces journey from such an young age was heart wrenching, but also inspiring. Will definitely be encouraging everyone to read this, and adjusting some of my own behaviours the next time I encounter someone deaf.
Graphic novels aren’t usually something I take interest in, but El Deafo fit a readathon prompt and I’m glad I picked it up!
Graphic novels aren’t usually something I take interest in, but El Deafo fit a readathon prompt and I’m glad I picked it up!
An amazingly touching self portrait of a child coping with friendship, family and school after suddenly becoming deaf due to meningitis at age four. CeCe Bell is a normal kid who faces an extraordinary challenge adapting to a new environment of quiet, learning how to understand and communicate with her friends and family after her illness. Honest, intimate, poignant and funny, El Deafo is ultimately a joyous triumph of one’s girl’s determination to navigate her way through the various pitfalls inherent in childhood friendships, first crushes, teachers, classmates, parents and siblings while managing her hearing issues. Her phonic ear, the audio device which enables her to hear more acutely in school, gives her superpower hearing: the ability to hear her teacher wherever she is in the school building, thereby giving her a distinct advantage with her school friends when she reveals its attributes. As a graphic novel memoir, El Deafo is seamlessly engaging and surprisingly helpful, illustrating aspects of the life of a little girl dependent upon visual cues for connections with illustrated diagrams. The illustrations are loving and playful and are the genius behind the book. Cece’s double talent of writing and illustrating bring her childhood experiences to life in ways that every reader can identify. I enjoyed seeing it as much as reading it and as a reader, I was cheering her on along the way. A note from the author explains deafness and the deaf culture in more detail. Kudos, Cece Bell!
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Death, Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
It is a beautiful and insightful story that can bridge conversations with students about treating people with different abilities.
Occasionally I'll read my children's books and I knew immediately I wanted to dive into Cece's story. I loved the themes of this book about acceptance and friendship. Even though there is a girl protagonist my boys enjoyed it. I thought it was a total treat.
DNF 31%.
This was a really cute and fun and honest story! I enjoyed learning more about the experience of a deaf person as a young child.
But it’s a lower-elementary which is just a bit hard to hold my attention and I’m just feeling like I’m not interested in reading this anymore. Maybe I’ll come back to it later.
This was a really cute and fun and honest story! I enjoyed learning more about the experience of a deaf person as a young child.
But it’s a lower-elementary which is just a bit hard to hold my attention and I’m just feeling like I’m not interested in reading this anymore. Maybe I’ll come back to it later.