El Deafo

By Cece Bell

Whilst in New York I managed to spend some time at Barnes and Noble. In fact, I spent 3 long, enjoyable hours there. I spent a significant amount of time perusing the children's section looking for some of the books that are hard to come-by in New Zealand. This was one of them.
It's a graphic novel, created in the English-style. It's semi-autobiographical, interstning, entertaining and even a little funny from time to time. I'm looking foreward to seeing what my boy and my class think if it.

Synopsis

Starting at a new school is scary, even more so with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece's class was deaf. Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the phonic ea, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends.
Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear shae can hear her teacher not just in the classroom, but anywhere her teacher is in the school- in the hallway... in the teacher's lounge... in the bathroom! This is power. Maybe even a superpower! Cece is on her way to becoming El Deaf, Listener for All. But the funny thing about being a superhero is that it's just another way of feeling different ... and lonely. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend?
This funny perspective graphic novel memoir about growing up deaf is also an unforgettable book about growing up and the super embarassing moments along the way.

Author

Cece Bell is a children's book author and illustrator.
"Cece Bell lives in an old church in Virginia and works in a new-ish barn right next door. She grew up in Salem, Viriginia and drank a lot of limeades at the Brooks-Byrd Pharmacy downtown. She met her husband, writer Tom Angleberger, at the College of William and Mary, where they were both art majors. Cece went on to get a graduate degree in illustration and design at Kent State University. She has worked as a freelance illustrator for all kinds of nutty projects, but is now a full-time author and illustrator. Her books include the Newbery Honor and Eisner-winning graphic novel El Deafo, the Geisel Honor-winning Rabbit & Robot, I Yam a Donkey, Bee-Wigged, Itty Bitty, and the Sock Monkey series. She has also created books with Tom, including Crankee Doodle and the Inspector Flytrap series."

Her books include:
SOCK MONKEY (2003- 2006)series.
BEE-WIGGED (2008)
ITTY BITTY (2009)
RABBIT & ROBOT: THE SLEEPOVER (2012)
CRANKEE DOODLE (2013) (with Tom Angleberger)
BUG PATROL (2013) (with Denise Mortensen)
EL DEAFO (2014)
I YAM A DONKEY (2015)
CHUCK AND WOODCHUCK (2016)
INSPECTOR FLYTRAP (2016) series (with Tom Angleberger)
RABBIT & ROBOT AND RIBBIT (2016)