El Deafo by Cece Bell

Bell, C., & Lasky, D. (2014). El Deafo. New York, NY: Amulet Books.

El Deafo is a graphic novel memoir about a young girl who is diagnosed with meningitis which rendered her deaf at 4 years old.   Cece, the main character, is then prescribed a Phonic Ear while attending a school of all deaf children.  She then is transferred to a public school where she is adapting to being different, having no friends and coming of age embarrassing moments.  Cece soon finds out that her Phonic Ear gives her the power to hear her teacher anywhere, not just in the classroom.  Cece uses her alter ego El Deafo for when she is feeling uncomfortable with her hearing loss to help her gain confidence.  Read El Deafo to find out if Cece is able to make the friend she has always been waiting for; a sidekick. 


This would be ideal for children the ages 8-12 to enjoy. 

El Deafo is a great read for children to have a understanding of other children with disabilities, and to see how difficult it can be for a person with a disability to assimilate to a public school setting. We see CeCe struggle with lip reading or even speaking herself, allowing us to step into her shoes for a moment.  All schools have children with disabilities, and children can empathize and not see a disability as a hinderance, but rather a uniqueness.  Using devices like this can encourage children to be accepting to others, especially if their friend is a superhero!


What's inside?

Metaphor:
Bell uses rabbits as a symbol/metaphor to CeCe and her disability since all of the characters are rabbits.   Hearing is an emphasized characteristic of rabbits, due to big ears and I think that it really has a meaning to her of how much she felt like she stuck out since her ears didn't work. 

Theme:

Deafness
Superheroism 
School
Coming of age
Friendship
Bullying
Family

All of these above are very important themes throughout the novel. 

Onomatopoeia:
POP!
This is a noise that is repeated throughout which is the noise that her hearing aid makes when it cuts in and out of working. 

The novel is illustrated in the typical graphic novel sense, which is very comic book style.  This is very fitting for the superhero theme throughout.  The illustrations still remained to keep the integrity of the main character intact, not making anything stereotypical.  

How can we teach this?
Have your students create their own superhero, preferably modeling it after themselves, highlighting something that they aren't great at and making it powerful.  Have their character with an entire background, where they are from, what is their power, etc.   Teach them that the things that we think hinder us can only make us stronger.  This lesson would be important for self worth, but also understanding that our disabilities do not make us any less of a person. 

If they wish to create a superhero with a disability, make sure that their character is respectful and non-stereotypical. 

This lesson is meant for students to reflect on how they may not fit in society, but how they are still strong and powerful individuals with meaning and purpose.