El Deafo

Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo. NY: Amulet Books.

Summary:

A four-year-old little girl has a regular, ordinary life like any other child until the day she received terrible news. One day suddenly she got very ill. She was scared and didn't know what to expect. The doctors diagnosed her with meningitis. In a matter of time, she lost her hearing because of the sickness. She ended up losing her hearing and became deaf. She was scared because she didn't want to move schools. She struggled at her new school, at home, and with friends. She created a superhero and named her El Deafo. The superhero is what helped her cope with everything she was enduring in her life. In the end, she made a friend ho accepted her for who she truly was.

Strength:

The book has a meaning that the children will love. It teaches children that deaf people also have many struggles in life. It helps the children have a better understanding of how to be more sympathetic with deaf people and treat then them with more respect. The illustrations help the children visualize and understand the frustration and pain they suffer from the condition they have.

Award: Newbery Medal Nominee (2015)

Connections:

Other Book by Cece Bell: