El Deafo: A Graphic Novel By Cece Bell

David C.David C.: What a wonderful way to communicate to kids and parents alike about differences and acceptance. The author’s husband is my son’s favorite author, and this book was recommended by a librarian. So glad we got this. Read and enjoy. Encourage kindness to all and never neglect those with differences-their super-power may impress you!

United States on Aug 10, 2023

LESLEY WU: Bought it for my son but I ended up reading it. Loved it. Good for kids and adults.

Canada on Jul 24, 2023

Miranda: Son had to read for school this summer. Good cute story line.

United States on Jul 12, 2023

escoocoo: I loved this book and the story of little Cece. I did not realize this was a true story about the author herself until the notes at the very end. Feisty Little Cece is a real trooper! The whole best friends thing was so real to me, and felt very reminiscent of my own fourth and fifth grade experiences. The whole rabbit thing is so unique and adds a lot of charm. Read this book…you’ll love it! 🥰

United States on Jul 03, 2023

anndab7: When my 8-year-old daughter asked to buy this book and told me the short description she heard from a friend at school, I suspected it would be a good book. But it is amazing, my daughter loves it, she read it from cover to cover the moment she got it and like 5 times since then (it's been less than a week). Great book with amazing story and so well illustrated. Highly recommend!

United Kingdom on Mar 22, 2023

Nickolette Stefanova-Kiryazov: My 7-year old keeps going back to the book asking me to reread again and again.
It is amazing that we can equally enjoy a work of art together.

Germany on Jan 30, 2023

Gillian Douglas-Rea: Just love this book for my 9 yr old deaf son we love how signing is incorporated its huge part of our lives ..... my son adores it

United Kingdom on Nov 22, 2022

Mary: I have to preface this by saying that I was forced to read this graphic novel for my Children’s Literature class. I also must admit, while reading “El Deafo” I learned several things and corrected misconceptions I previously believed to be true about deafness. But that was achieved within the first few chapters and the rest of the book felt like when someone abruptly starts telling you their life story and you’re not sure when it’s going to end or what the purpose of knowing all this information is.

The tone is hard to nail down. At first, when the character Cece is 4 years old, it seems as though author, Cece Bell, is trying to appease to an extremely young demographic. However, though the content matures as the characters age, the language never really adjusts to these transitions. It was kind of unsettling; almost as if a young child should read the begining of the book and then pass it over to a tween to finish it, but then that tween would probably think it was too immature to find enjoyable. Mentions of inappropriate language, mature concepts, or outdated references seemed to stand out too strongly for my taste. I could list several examples, but one that...

United States on Nov 11, 2020

Jessica S: I would recommend this book to anyone who loves graphic novels.
Cece became deaf at the age of 4 after an illness she had. The book sees her struggles at fitting in at her new school, which sees her surrounded by hearing people. She goes through many different friends who seem nice but make a big deal about her hearing aid. They assume that turning the volume up on the television and the radio will help Cece understand and one girl, Ginny, speaks really loud and slow.
I like the way Cece portrays the characters as rabbits and I especially love the illustration of Cece the rabbit wearing headphones during a hearing test.
I got this book for my 13th birthday but I would say this book is aimed at a younger audience than 'Smile' and 'Roller Girl'. I lent it to my friend who has now lent it to her 8 year old sister. I would recommended it for ages 7 and upwards.
My favourite part is where she makes friends with Martha although a lot of the American terms she said where difficult for me to understand, the same with the school years but it is no different than in 'Smile'.

United Kingdom on Jun 17, 2018

Donors: Ryan Markel ______________________________________________________________________________

The book is an autobiography of Cece Bell. In the main chapter a bonche of her fake friends bose her around. I think in the rising action it started by getting really sick. The climax happened when she found a true friend. Afterward she ended up with a true friend.`

My claim is that El-defo is about learning to be moral in this story. This is because in El-Defo at first Cece lived a normal life like a normal little girl. And then, her life changed. She got super sick. Then, she became deaf and Cece wanted to act like she’s the same as all of the people in her school because the phonic ear makes her unique. Her first friends at school bossed her around because she had the phonic ear. They were fakers!!!!! Then at the end, she found the perfect friend.

Then, her friend went away for awhile and then she comes back - yeah! Well my rebuttal is that the theme could be yin and yang because there's a lot of good and bad things like her fake friends, and then Cece found the perfect friend. I refute that idea because I think there are more events in the book about learning to be...

United States on Mar 30, 2018