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El Deafo

Cece Bell (Goodreads Author),

David Lasky (Colorist )

4.18 · Rating details · 64,675 ratings · 6,507 reviews

Starting at a new school is scary, even more so with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece's class was deaf. Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends.

Then Cece makes a startling discovery ...more

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Hardcover, 233 pages

Published September 2nd 2014 by Harry N. Abrams

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Average rating 4.18 ·

Rating details

· 64,675 ratings · 6,507 reviews

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Feb 12, 2015 Rick Riordan rated it really liked it

Middle grade/young adult graphic novel. In comic book form, Cece Bell tells the story of a young girl (rabbit?) growing up with a severe hearing impairment. She does a great job tackling the subject with humor and pathos, letting us see the world through the narrator's eyes (and hear through her super Phonic Ear). Along the way, we meet pushy friends, clueless peers, helpful teachers, not-so-helpful siblings, and a whole cast of other characters that any kid can relate to. A great novel for rais ...more

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Jun 26, 2018 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it it was amazing

My heart is so happy. This was absolutely adorable. And so informative!

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Feb 21, 2016 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it liked it

Shelves: liburrrrrry-book, read-in-2016, really-for-kidlets, pitcherbooks

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

This is the autobiographical story of Cece Bell and her experiences of going to school as the only deaf kid in the class. From her own insecurities to people treating her different, Cece found a coping mechanism in the form of “El Deafo” a superhero with nerves of steel who Cece imagined saying and doing everything she only wished she was brave enough to . . . .

This is a great book for youngsters. Aside from pointing out the obviou Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

This is the autobiographical story of Cece Bell and her experiences of going to school as the only deaf kid in the class. From her own insecurities to people treating her different, Cece found a coping mechanism in the form of “El Deafo” a superhero with nerves of steel who Cece imagined saying and doing everything she only wished she was brave enough to . . . .

This is a great book for youngsters. Aside from pointing out the obvious fact that people are people and shouldn’t be treated different just because they aren’t an exact copy of everyone else, it also did a great job of explaining (in kid terms) exactly how it might make the person who is being treated differently feel. It also takes you through all the other trials and tribulations a young’in might experience while navigating their way through elementary school. Things like embarrassing parents, making friends (and frenemies), first crushes, and most importantly . . .

My 3 Star rating is the lowest amongst my friends, which is totally legit since I’m easily the biggest jerk in the group of those who have read it. Since I am such a jerk, allow me to go off on a tangent. Such a switch from my regular reviews which always stay on topic, I know.

An open letter to schoolteachers who assign nightly reading as homework: I am a reader and I love this. My small human, however, is not. I have done my parental duty and made sure that said small person is capable of reading at a top-of-the-charts level, but unfortunately I cannot make him enjoy reading. You know what might? Reading a story about a little bunny who eavesdrops on her teachers. That stuff is HI.LAR.I.OUS. to a kid. Buuuuuuuuut, since the story was contained in a graphic novel and not a “real” (seriously?) book it doesn’t count toward the weekly reading requirement because it would be “cheating” since it has so many pictures and not as many words. Yeah. You know what you can do????

...more

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Mar 04, 2016 Sheziss rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Deaf people in general and hearing people in particular

Shelves: disability, read-in-2016, wonderful-narrator, 1900s, hospital-scenes, super-cute, usa, english, comic-manga-graphic-novel-images, funny-funny-funny

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why I wanted to read this book.

I’m not going to show any other picture from the book because I’d end up highlighting everything and you’d kill me in the process.

So I will post nothing. Read the book yourself.

This is not the first book about deaf people I’ve read but I always got the impression authors have deafness kind of “idealized”. The picture someone has when thinking about deaf people is the person who hears nothing and says nothing and communicates v ...more

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Feb 18, 2017 Nat rated it really liked it

Shelves: diverse-reads, graphic-novels, memoir, nonfiction

“Our differences are our superpowers.”

Starting and ending the day with a good read will never grow tired on me.

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Jan 29, 2017 Trina (Between Chapters) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017, middle-grade, standalones, non-fiction, comics-graphics-manga

Amazing! Highly recommend to anyone. Great ownvoices deafness representation. Loved how childhood friendships were portrayed. I think any kid would get a lot out of this story (and adults too!), be it identifying with Cece's story, or relating to feelings of being different, or understanding their peers. ...more

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Nov 25, 2015 Idarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, newbery, own, memoir-bio

I am a fan of Raina Telgemeir's graphic novels based on her childhood. When she blurbed El Deafo, I knew I would enjoy it.

Cece loses her hearing at the age of four as a result of sudden illness. All at once, she has to relearn how to communicate with those around her, including family and friends. School turns out to be a bit tricky, since she can't read her teacher's lips at all times. Not to worry. Phonic Ear to the rescue!
photo image_zpsmvwvy7ep.png

Cece's Phonic Ear hearing aid gives her superpowers, but it also makes ...more

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Apr 25, 2015 Rachel Reads Ravenously rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade-or-childrens, graphic-novels

3 I liked it stars

***Reading level 8-12 years but all ages can enjoy***

After a sudden illness strikes Cece when she is four, she finds herself hearing impaired after recovering. Her doctors have given her a device to wear which helps her hear, but it’s very noticeable being strapped to her chest and having cords in her ears. Over the years Cece faces many trials brought on by her impairment, from being made fun of, to friends wanting to be friends so they can have a “deaf friend”, to people sh 3 I liked it stars

***Reading level 8-12 years but all ages can enjoy***

After a sudden illness strikes Cece when she is four, she finds herself hearing impaired after recovering. Her doctors have given her a device to wear which helps her hear, but it’s very noticeable being strapped to her chest and having cords in her ears. Over the years Cece faces many trials brought on by her impairment, from being made fun of, to friends wanting to be friends so they can have a “deaf friend”, to people shouting in her ears and blasting the radio and television. This is the autobiographical story of how Cece grew up with little hearing, and how she dreamed of using it as a superpower to help her.

A very funny look at growing up with a hearing impairment. As a autobiographical work, the author is able to tell her story of her issues as a young child with a sense of humor about her experiences and doesn’t add any hostility in her voice. While there are many issues Cece dealt with that were solely because of her hearing impairment, many issues were about friendships and dealing with bullies, what many tweens experience in general. The artwork was very vibrant, lots of bright colors and actions and more. The fact that all of the characters were bunnies was a bit strange, but it appeals to a younger age group that this book is geared toward.

This book also promotes awareness and understanding for people with disabilities, mostly it points out that just because Cece cannot hear doesn’t mean she feels different things than other people. She just needed people to be clearer when they spoke with her and not for them to make the assumption that she was stupid or needed things blasted at loud volumes. The friendships in the novel were very relatable to all, as kids some friendships are a bit illogical but were formed because of necessity or lack of other people around. Cece’s feelings on her different friendships were funny, sad, happy, frustrated, and many more emotions we have all felt over the years. A great coming of age novel that teaches the reader about how everyone is different in their own way and to be accepting of all people.

--------April 25th pre-review---------

This one started out really strong for me, I was even literally laughing out loud. But at the midway point I lost a lot of interest.

I will share this, my grandmother is hard of hearing. She was born that way and her parents (my great grandparents were deaf and their parents before them). So reading this book reminded me quite a bit of the stories my grandmother told me about being deaf as a little girl. It's kind of crazy how similar the life of a deaf girl growing up in the 30's and 40's as one growing up in the 80's/90's. Like that hearing aid the main character wore? My grandma had one too but it was attached to her leg and had even longer strings to the ears. She told me about how other children would run by her and slap it, which really hurt her ears. It's good to know that the author of this book wasn't bullied like my grandmother was for being deaf.

...more

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Feb 14, 2016 Kelli rated it it was amazing

Shelves: graphic-novels, childrens

What a gift Cece Bell has given us in this fantastic graphic novel. It is a very realistic portrayal of her own elementary school experiences: her illness and hearing impairment, moving, adjusting to a new school, a giant hearing aid, trying to make friends, and the many different reactions to her deafness. I found both her and her alter ego El Deafo to be honest, smart, and funny. A wonderful story about growing up and learning the strengths in our differences.

**I actually took this out of the ...more

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May 21, 2017 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read2017, npos, biography-memoir, graphic-novels-or-comics

Cece Bell uses the graphic novel format to tell her own story of hearing loss and the imagination of a child going through it. I thought it was fantastic, presenting real issues like how friendships change, the balancing of the best technology with the most comfortable technology, resistance to learning ASL, etc. Some of my favorite moments were just in the artistic representations, particularly a few pages on the trampoline. And who wouldn't love the character of El Deafo, the superhero who fea ...more

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Jul 12, 2016 Amanda rated it really liked it

Shelves: graphic-novels, children-literature, 2016-log

El Deafo is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel by author Cece Bell. Cece becomes deaf at the age of four after contracting meningitis. She must use a hearing aid, but sometimes the words she hears are garbled and she must rely on visual clues and lip reading to clearly understand. Cece eventually moves, leaving behind her best friend, and starts a new school. She gets a new hearing aid that is much stronger called "The Phonic Ear." The teacher wears a microphone around her neck so that Cece c El Deafo is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel by author Cece Bell. Cece becomes deaf at the age of four after contracting meningitis. She must use a hearing aid, but sometimes the words she hears are garbled and she must rely on visual clues and lip reading to clearly understand. Cece eventually moves, leaving behind her best friend, and starts a new school. She gets a new hearing aid that is much stronger called "The Phonic Ear." The teacher wears a microphone around her neck so that Cece can hear her voice more clearly. The Phonic Ear makes Cece self conscious at first because she desperately wants to fit in and not stand out. However, she begins to realize that the hearing aid gives her a "superpower" and envisions herself as a superhero.

One recurrent theme is that of friendship. Cece goes through several different friends until she finally connects with one that isn't bossy and doesn't treat her differently because of her deafness. Cece is often annoyed by the fact people think speaking louder or more slowly is necessary. Speaking more slowly makes it more difficult for her to read lips when she's wearing her at-home hearing aids. Her friend Ginny does this, but for the longest I just assumed Ginny, the new student from Georgia, had a long southern drawl.

This graphic novel was an entertaining read with a good message for children about empathy, and the illustrations were cute. I was a little conflicted with the ending because I didn't think the way Cece becomes the class hero was the best example for the impressionable intended reader, but I'm assuming that part was probably autobiographical and a realistic portrayal of what kids do in the classroom.

I appreciated the author's note at the back of the book. Ms. Bell explains how the "Deaf community" is not a homogeneous, monolithic group. Each deaf person's situation is different and how he/she chooses to communicate is a personal choice. She has never chosen to "pursue a direct role" in the Deaf community because of her experience of being able to hear before the illness and remaining mostly in the hearing world. I admired the fact that she doesn't let deafness define her or view it as a disability.

"Our differences are our superpowers." ...more

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Sep 13, 2014 Dave Schaafsma rated it really liked it

Shelves: gn-children, gn-women, picturebooks, gn-ya, ya-gn-sum-2017, gn-health

7/21/17 Reread for my summer YA Graphic novels class, the memoir of a girl who has lost much of her hearing, gets bullied for it, but transforms her sense of herself by thinking of herself as a superhero, El Deafo! Great for any kids who are being bullied for being different. From the time I first read this three years ago and now, this has become a staple in American elementary and middle schools, yay!

9/13/14 Bell's memoir about her hearing impairment, brought on by meningitis when she was 4 ye ...more

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Jul 23, 2014 Betsy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: disability, graphic-novels, memoirs

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 vie 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. ...more

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Jun 08, 2014 Carmen rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Anyone

Shelves: traditionally-published, children, she-says, non-fiction, graphic-novel

A small bunny gets meningitis and loses her hearing. This graphic novel is about how she learns to deal with other people and their reactions to 'the deaf girl.'

Wow, sounds pretty lame and after-school-special, right? WRONG. This book is so cute and funny. And Cece is sassy, you'll be cheering for her all the way.

It's so hard and frustrating when people treat her like she's different - or even worse, 'special.' She just wants to yell at them and tell them to treat her normal! But she's pretty sw ...more

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Feb 19, 2015 Deborah Markus rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-find, graphic-novels

I hate to say that this book taught me a lot about what people with hearing impairments have to deal with – not because it isn't true, but because it might make the book sound preachy. And it isn't. It's straightforward and direct and a fun, fascinating read.

The premise is simple: Cece sustains illness-induced hearing loss at a very young age, and both she and the reader must puzzle their way through a newly tricky world.

I liked two things especially about this story. First, Cece's struggles to I hate to say that this book taught me a lot about what people with hearing impairments have to deal with – not because it isn't true, but because it might make the book sound preachy. And it isn't. It's straightforward and direct and a fun, fascinating read.

The premise is simple: Cece sustains illness-induced hearing loss at a very young age, and both she and the reader must puzzle their way through a newly tricky world.

I liked two things especially about this story. First, Cece's struggles to make friends are relatable to anyone who's navigated the rough waters of public school. Whether you're currently able-bodied or not, you'll find yourself nodding and smiling, sometimes ruefully, as you read El Deafo. I especially loved seeing that I wasn't the only little kid who coped with social difficulties by developing a rich, superhero-intensive fantasy life.

Second, Cece isn't a paragon of perfection. She's a good, funny, smart kid, but she's sometimes sharp and judgmental, and she doesn't handle every situation as well as she could. She's not an innocent victim in a cruel world. She needs to give people the information they need – information she herself probably wouldn't have if she hadn't been forced into firsthand experience with her condition.

It's not intuitively obvious, for instance, that if someone's hard of hearing, turning up the volume on the TV or radio isn't much help. For Cece, it simply means that an already unintelligible sound is now unintelligible and LOUD. But that's something you have to experience or be told about to know.

It's also counterintuitive that speaking slow-ly and dis-tinct-ly can actually make things a lot harder for your hearing impaired friend. It makes lip-reading a huge pain, and your words sound really weird.

Cece doesn't speak up about these things until very late in the story. To be fair, she should have been told, by the same people who helped her figure out her hearing aid and taught her lip-reading, that she'll need to educate her friends. It's not always fun being part of someone's learning experience, but it's often necessary. Yes, some of the people around her are unkind and condescending; but plenty of them are friendly and welcoming, and often it's only Cece's insecurity that stands in the way of making more friends sooner than she does.

Oh, another thing I really liked: Although Cece develops a crush on a boy (and yay! – he's a worthy recipient of her youthful affection), the most important relationship in this story is the one between Cece and a girl who (spoiler alert) becomes her best friend. And the "WOOHOO!" ending is all thanks to Cece's hard-won ability to tell those around her who she is and what she needs.

El Deafo is sweet without being treacly, authentic without being brutal, and (for this reader) very happy-making. Definitely recommended. ...more

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Feb 21, 2020 Reading_ Tam_ Ishly rated it did not like it

It's so rare for someone who hearts children's books especially with illustrations and real stories to really dislike such books but this one is an exception. I didn't see this coming though! I can understand what the main character has been through ever since she was diagnosed with her condition, all the discrimination and likewise that the book tries to convey but I have never come across a child character this judgemental and discriminating towards others taking 'advantage' of her condition i ...more

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Dec 30, 2014 Snotchocheez rated it really liked it

3.5 stars

I've never really been a fan of graphic novels. I appreciate the effort that goes in them, but for the most part, they don't do anything for me. Off the top of my head, I can only think of three books of this genre that I've found noteworthy: Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth, My Friend Dahmer, and The Complete Maus. The common thread among these three: each have an autobiographical component, and while fanciful, are all grounded in reality.

I was attracted to Cece Bell's El De ...more

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Mar 23, 2015 Eilonwy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: character-driven, graphic-novel, heartbreaking, heartwarming, really-good-voice, funny-and-gripping

When she is four years old, Cece loses most of her hearing following a bout of meningitis. She is quickly fitted with hearing aids which, combined with lipreading, help her understand what people are saying -- so long as she can see their mouths, or they're not cartoons on TV, making nonsense shapes instead of words.

Thanks to the Phonic Ear, which has a microphone that allows teachers' words to travel directly to Cece's ears, she's mainstreamed in school. She does well, but suffers insecurity d ...more

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Sep 20, 2015 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-books-for-elementary-age, graphic, worthy-of-another-read

My 7-year-old daughter and I laughed and cried through every chapter. As soon as I shut the back cover, she burst into tears and blubbered, "Read it again, Mommy."

Completely unique. A must read for all kids in the lower grades and any adults who grew up in the weird and spectacular 1970s. ...more

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Jul 05, 2014 Donalyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-nerdy-shortlist, graphic-novels

CeCe Bell's graphic novel memoir is a standout, both as an exemplar for the form and for its message. While I knew that CeCe has hearing loss, I enjoyed getting to know CeCe better through this story. I think many children will relate to her struggles to form meaningful, healthy friendships and her journey toward self-acceptance.

...more

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Jul 13, 2018 Merphy Napier rated it really liked it

Shelves: four-stars, contemperary, middle-grade

This memoir about a young girl who lost her hearing as a child and learning to navigate her new life, was heart-warming and educational. I recommend this for all ages. You'll learn so much about how to interact with someone with hearing difficulties and see a little in their eyes. ...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Manybooks rated it liked it

Shelves: friendship, biographies-memoirs, school-story, book-reviews, childrens-literature, graphic-novels, challenges-special-needs

I am not always a huge fan of graphic novels (and indeed when late last night I quickly skimmed though Cece Bell's illustrations for her Newbery Honour winning 2014 semi-autobiographical El Deafo, I have to admit that her pictorial renderings were most definitely not what I would personally consider aesthetically pleasant by any stretch of my imagination). For while I do like David Lasky’s sense and use of colour, sorry, but Cece Bell's rabbit/human combinations, at best they have not really vis I am not always a huge fan of graphic novels (and indeed when late last night I quickly skimmed though Cece Bell's illustrations for her Newbery Honour winning 2014 semi-autobiographical El Deafo, I have to admit that her pictorial renderings were most definitely not what I would personally consider aesthetically pleasant by any stretch of my imagination). For while I do like David Lasky’s sense and use of colour, sorry, but Cece Bell's rabbit/human combinations, at best they have not really visually spoken to me in an enjoyable manner and at worst, yes, I actually have even tended to find Cece and everyone else depicted more than a trifle visually creepy in their physical appearances (with in particular the superimposed rabbit ears and spindling legs and arms just not at all being to my personal and aesthetic tastes). And truth be told, I almost did consider not continuing with El Deafo, but then decided to stick with it, since El Deafo did win a Newbery Honour designation and I had also and equally heard many good things regarding author Cece Bell's presented text and that it supposedly is both an engaging and also a realistic (from her own childhood experiences with deafness) reading experience.

And yes, if I do not consider the illustrations (if I for the most part ignore them) and instead concentrate more on Bell's presented narrative, I have indeed found El Deafo both enjoyable and engaging, not to mention at times heart-breaking and of course often also heart-warming (and in many ways even with Cece's deafness and having to deal with large and cumbersome hearing aids often just a typical story about maneuvering through the mazes of friendship, boys etc. during middle school, made all the more poignant because much of this, because most of this is the author's own and personal story). But of course, I should probably also point out that while I have certainly and indeed found El Deafo realistic and that the scenarios young Cece experiences with her family, with her teachers, with her school friends and acquaintances seem to ring true and appear reasonable, realistic and typical, I am also not deaf and equally never had a school friend or acquaintance who was profoundly hard of hearing. And thus perhaps, young Cece's personal experiences with her own hearing loss might not have been what other hard of hearing individuals experienced during their own childhood and at school and vice versa (in other words, while I personally have found El Deafo delightful on a textual level, and very much relatable, engaging, I also do realise that my saying that Cece Bell's narrative rings true should probably also be taken with a bit of a grain of salt and that it is my personal take on El Deafo). Highly recommended and indeed, my three star ranking is simply that I just do not like the illustrations all that much, that for me, it is really ONLY the text, the printed words of El Deafo that I have been able to both truly enjoy and appreciate without reservations. ...more

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Mar 22, 2020 Mariah Roze rated it it was amazing

I'm a Deaf and Hard of Hearing teacher. I started off reading this book with one of my students and it was fantastic. He was able to make a lot of connections to the main character. We absolutely loved our 20 minutes a week where we read a chapter of this book and did an activity.

However, that all had to come to an end, because we are now quarantined. I finished the book on my own today and now I'm trying to figure out how to get him a copy and how to continue on with our lessons.

But besides al ...more

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Jan 16, 2016 Stacey (prettybooks) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-my-twenties, childrens-fiction

El Deafo is one of the best graphic novels I've read, about Cece Bell growing up with a severe hearing impairment in the 80s after becoming ill. El Deafo is beautifully illustrated and the story is fantastic. Cece shows us what it's like to not only be unable to hear what's being said but understand what's being said. From the difficulties of making friends – especially best friends – to discovering the amazing Phonic Ear, this is a remarkable story about growing up. Cece now has superpowers: El ...more

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Sep 06, 2017 Calista rated it it was amazing

Shelves: comics-graphic-novel, genre-comedy, bage-middle-grade, genre-memoir-biography, i-misc, want-to-own, 2014, award-newberry, diversity, award-goodreads-choice

Great book. Such a fun memoir to read. This is an honest telling of what it is to be raised hearing impaired. Fun little stories and fun art and the telling is simple and honest. El Deafo jumps off the page. I get why this was considered for the Newberry and got an Honor. I think anyone can enjoy this book and enrich your life. So glad I gave this book a go.

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Jun 24, 2018 Tisha rated it liked it

It’s a very colorful and cute book. But the story told through this cuteness is not so cute actually! It’s an autobiography of the writer who accidentally loses her hearing ability at the age of four. So everything around her becomes silent! Her life becomes more difficult when she starts school. New place, new people, all are staring at her because of the cords of her hearing aid! I can’t feel her pain of course because I didn’t have to go through all these things!

But she was brave. She turns ...more

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Oct 07, 2014 Sesana rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoir, children, comics, nonfiction

Until she was four, Cece had "normal" hearing. And then a bout of meningitis left her deaf, needing a hearing aid to understand the world around her. In her comic book memoir, Cece writes mainly about the obstacles she faced in making friends in a hearing world.

Cece's writing is perfect for what she's accomplishing. She's definitely writing to an elementary audience, and she's writing on their level without obviously talking down to them. I like that she's very, very clear about what her deafne ...more

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Mar 03, 2020 Tyler J Gray rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, nonfiction, read-via-libby, autobiography

I had some issues with this, like the kids using her in the end and being taken advantage of is her superpower that's she's glad for? I can understand that through a kids pov, which was she was at the time, but now it just doesn't come across right to me and sends a bad message IMO. And the way she treats others, including kids, when they don't know how to best interact with her. Instead of telling them, even when it's obvious they mean well, she just says screw them.

That afterward, for the mos I had some issues with this, like the kids using her in the end and being taken advantage of is her superpower that's she's glad for? I can understand that through a kids pov, which was she was at the time, but now it just doesn't come across right to me and sends a bad message IMO. And the way she treats others, including kids, when they don't know how to best interact with her. Instead of telling them, even when it's obvious they mean well, she just says screw them.

That afterward, for the most part I liked. But not all differences can be seen as superpowers. I am disabled, in different ways, and trust me, there is no way to view them or my chronic pain as a "superpower", and being disabled isn't something to be ashamed of. I understand why she doesn't consider herself disabled and that's not what I have a problem with. I don't see my aphantasia as a real disability either (though some do, that's ok), and in some ways do consider it a super-power. So I understood that from a different lens.

But it did seem (to me) to come off as a bit "disability is shameful" (though I don't think that was intentional and could just be a me thing) and that if you "just try hard enough, you can think of your disability, regardless of what it is, as a super-power too" and...uh....no. That last paragraph of the afterword includes "Any difference can be turned into something amazing. Our differences are our superpowers." (and some..sure, I can see that, but "any?") so...the fact that i'm incontinent due to my disabilities is amazing? My chronic pain from my differences...is amazing? No..no it is not. I am not ashamed, nor do I want pity, but it still sucks. And it's allowed to.

I did enjoy so much about this though. The feelings from being different as a child. Her story and voice, which of course is important. And most of the afterword for that matter, about how different people in the deaf/hard of hearing communities can view being deaf/hard of hearing differently, and neither is wrong for doing so.

It's harder to find the words for all I did enjoy about this but I did enjoy it some of it. And i'm glad I read it. Just realize it's one person's story, which is important, just not everyone's story and different people, are different, and that's ok and that is life (and of course it's a memoir, it's not meant to be anymore than what it is). Because everyone's story and voice is important and matters. Life is full of shades of gray and sometimes vastly different opinions on something, don't even have to be contradictory like some think they do and can exist in peace together.

I want to reiterate that I really did enjoy parts of this though thinking about it i'm not sure if I would recommend it. I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't mention my entire thoughts on it and I am not sure if i'm coming across right at all. It's the best I got.

And i'm sorry for coming back to this review so quickly. I need to sit on my thoughts longer before I write reviews sometimes. In a nutshell, I liked some of it, think it had some important things to say, some of it really didn't sit right with me at all and I have no idea if i'd recommend it or not and I feel weird about all of this because it's a memoir, sort of (the afterward explains what I mean there). ...more

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Aug 29, 2014 Raina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: biographical, historical, graphicnovel, nonfic, feminist, realistic, graphic-memoir, j

The world is doing such a good job of pushing this book. Blurbs from Riordan, Palacio, Telgemeier... the list goes on and on. The cover is reminiscent of Smile, the insides are all colorful. Just fantastic, machine. Way to work it.

And for something so deserving!
I grew up closely adjacent to the deaf community. My mom worked as an interpreter, her best friend was deaf, we went to deaf movie night at the community center. Bell is fairly close in age to close friends of our family who traveled si ...more

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Sep 16, 2018 Julie Zantopoulos rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library, diverse-read, read-in-2018, graphic-novel

This was such a sweet middle grade semi-memoir style graphic novel that features a little girl who loses her hearing due to illness prior to Kindergarten and how she goes forward forming friendships and dealing with being "different". Children are so dang honest and watching CeCe's internal and external reactions to their comments, her self-conscious reactions, and social anxiety form and get tackled was beautiful. I can't imagine how important a graphic novel like this is to both hearing and no ...more

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About Cece Bell

Cece Bell

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I'm an author and an illustrator, and sadly not a jazz pianist. I live in an old church in the hills of Virginia with my husband, author Tom Angleberger. I work right next door in a new-ish barn. I've written and illustrated a bunch of books for kids and was lucky enough to get a Geisel Honor for one of 'em. If you want to know more about my hearing loss or my childhood (or both), check out my fir ...more

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“And being different? That turned out to be the best part of all. I found that with a little creativity, and a lot of dedication, any difference can be turned into something amazing. Our differences are our superpowers.” — 43 likes

“Oh, why do I even care what other people think?” — 19 likes

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