•  
  •  
 

Article Title

El Deafo

Authors

Abigail Packard

Keywords

Outstanding, Intermediate, Young Adult, Cece Bell, Deaf, Disabilities, Superpowers, Superhero, Trials, Friendship, Graphic Novel

Document Type

Book Review

Abstract

At four years old, Cece is rushed to the hospital by her parents and she is treated for meningitis. As a result of this disease, Cece loses the ability to hear. Because Cece has grown up speaking, listening, and hearing her parents decide to help her by getting her hearing aids and taking her to a special kindergarten where she learns to lip-read. She is later integrated into the regular school system and she uses the Phonic Ear, a hearing aid that she wears under her shirt and connects to her ears with cords, amplifying the voice of her teacher when they wear a special microphone. She’s thrilled to be able to hear the teacher and learn at school. Then she discovers that she has a newfound superpower: she can hear her teacher wherever they are in the school—in the hallway, in the teacher’s lounge, or even in the bathroom! Despite her awesome superpower, Cece is nervous to share it with others and help them truly understand how to treat her as a deaf person. Through trial and error, Cece learns that it’s better to open herself up and share her differences with others because differences, not similarities, are what truly make us super.

Download

Share

COinS