by Cece Bell
First published 2014
Cece faces her new school wearing a bulky hearing aid called the Phonic Ear strapped across her chest. Unlike her previous school where all students were deaf, she stands out here. The device helps her hear her teacher clearly, but she worries it will scare away potential friends. Soon Cece realizes the Phonic Ear picks up her teacher's voice throughout the entire building. She can listen in from the hallway, the teacher's lounge, even the bathroom. This discovery transforms her into El Deafo, a superhero with the power to hear everything. Yet having superpowers creates another layer of feeling different from her classmates. Cece must figure out how to use her unique abilities to achieve what matters most to her: making a real friend who accepts her exactly as she is.
Genres: coming-of-age, graphic-novels, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
233 pages · Hardcover · Harry N. Abrams