Graphic Novel Review: El Deafo

My children got this award winning graphic novel by author/illustrator Cece Bell for Christmas from my brother and his wife. They usually are spot on with the books they get for my kids and when I saw my eight year old son reading this book over and over I just had to see what it was about.

El Deafo is almost like the author’s memoir of growing up deaf, her struggles, her thoughts and how she wanted to fit into society even when she was different.

The characters are all bunnies and the main character, Cece (just like the author), wasn’t born deaf. After getting sick she looses her hearing and then need hearing aids to be able to listen to the world around her. Through the book, Cece goes through different friends, all understanding what it means to be her in a different way. Cece, through it all, imagines herself as a superhero, “El Deafo”, because she reads Batman comic books and she thinks of her hearing aid as one of Batman’s gadgets. 

The book is a little sad at part, mostly because it seems there aren’t any nice kids anywhere around her. They all either bully her, treat her like she’s dumb or are afraid to hurt her. 

I am glad to hear the real Cece is happily married with children. I still think that this book, like “Wonder” are important to kids to see what it feels to be different, struggle to be accepted and sometimes, letting go of people that just aren’t worth it. That and, learn to be nice themselves.

cheers!