El Deafo by Cece Bell

Title:  El Deafo 
Author: Cece Bell Illustrated: David Lasky

APA Bibliographic Information: Bell, C. (2017). El deafo. Place of publication not identified: Abrams Books.
Genre: Children's literature, Graphic novel, Autobiography
Lexile: 420L

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Summary: 

Cece is a girl who due to a medical condition has lost her hearing.  When she starts school she begins to use a hearing aid device that amplifies sound to her ears. This device hangs around her neck and it's very visible since it they look like earbuds in her ears. Throughout the book, she struggles to make friends that will understand her needs and that won't treat her differently because of her condition. Kids constantly stare at her and sometimes even whisper among themselves. They try to scream or exaggeratedly mouth when they speak but this only upsets Cece because it does not help and she wishes they would treat her like any other normal person.  One of her friends actually forces her to do things she really doesn't want to do but  Cece does them because she has trouble standing up for herself. This is why she comes up with an alter ego called El Deafo.  When she is El Deafo she feels like Superman and feels like she can finally stand up for herself.  Many would consider that Cece in ways was bullied because of her condition.  In the end, she is able to make friends that understand her and that don't let Cece's hearing impairment between their friendship.

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

This book would be perfect for second graders or first graders that are strong readers.   This book teaches the reader what a person who is deaf or has a hearing deficiency has to go through on their day today. It also shows many actions people do that can be offensive or unnecessary towards people who are deaf.  This is a very good graphic novel for beginners and for those who also like biographies. This book also comes with many great illustrations that will usually help the reader understand the book a little better. Kids who like reading about superheroes would also really like this book.  If you have any student with hearing disabilities they would really be able to relate to the main character.

Evaluation Of Text: 

I would rate this book five out of five stars. This would be a great book to teach our students not to bully others for having a disability. The text difficulty is very appropriate for small children and the illustrations are very well done. The book has many characters that students could identify with especially students who have trouble making friends because they are different from the other kids. I really love how the story was structured and was made to fit in a graphic novel.  The author's purpose was to make more awareness on people who are deaf because I think that many people are misinformed. 

Reader Response Activity: 

For this activity, you could look up some sign languages gestures and teach them to your students.  They don't have to be complicated but I think that its important for students to know and understand a little about sign language. This is an activity that could be done every time a chapter is finished.  I that it would ignite their curiosity and would possibly even want to learn more on their own. Another activity that you could do would be, bringing a pair of noise-canceling headphones with music and pair them with a partner.  They could then try to see if they can read their partner's lips.  The book talks about how difficult this can be for someone who can't hear. It would be an activity to show your students how challenging it really is.