El Deafo

El Deafo is a graphic novel that tells the story of young Cece Bell, a deaf elementary school student adapting to the world around her. She contracted meningitis at the age of four and lost her hearing shortly afterwards. As a kindergartener, Cece attended a school especially for students dealing with hearing loss. Her classmates around her were just like her and she felt comfortable in her environment.

When she moves to a new state with her family, however, Cece begins attending a new school with hearing kids. Although she is excited, Cece is nervous to begin school because she has to wear a giant hearing aid strapped to her chest. She's afraid to be different or stand out from the rest of her class and she is absolutely sure that everyone is staring at her and her Phonic Ear.

Cece initially struggles to make friends, finding people that are too interested in her deafness or inconsiderate of her. She longs for true friendship. Soon enough, Cece discovers that she may have super powers. She can hear everything her teacher is doing, inside and outside of the classroom! Her super powers inspire her imagination and help her think of herself as El Deafo, Listener for All. She hopes that her superpowers will help her to find a sidekick!

I was overwhelmingly in love with this book! I have always been interested in the deaf community and deaf culture and have engaged with members of this community all throughout my life. Becoming fluent in American Sign Language is a goal of mine, but I understand why Cece did not want to get involved with it and recognize that every deaf or hearing-impaired person has their own decisions to make about their involvement in the deaf community.

I think that this book is such an approachable way to broach the topic of hearing impairments and disabilities within the classroom, preaching acceptance and appropriate behavior with others that may be different. It is increasingly important to recognize these differences and celebrate them, as students of all kinds are being included in general education classrooms all over the nation!

These steps towards inclusion make it very important for teachers to include literature within the classroom library that not only educates and celebrates differences that students may have, but also gives students with disabilities the opportunity to see themselves in the books that they read. How powerful this book could be for a student struggling with hearing loss! And how heartwarming would it be to see students better understand that student as a result of a book that they've engaged with!

I would definitely include this, and other graphic novels, in my classroom! I have always been interested in comics and read them throughout high school. These graphic novels give students the opportunity to use all sorts of reading comprehension strategies to come to understand the author's message. I appreciate them and believe they have a place in every classroom!

El Deafo
By: Cece Bell
Illustrated by: David Lasky
Published in 2014