El Deafo facts for kids
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| Author | Cece Bell |
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| Illustrator | Cece Bell |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's Literature Graphic novel Autobiography |
| Publisher | Amulet Books |
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Publication date
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September 2, 2014 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 248 |
| ISBN | 9781419712173 |
| OCLC | 870199731 |
| LC Class | HV2534.B44 A3 2014 |
El Deafo is a fantastic graphic novel written and drawn by Cece Bell. It's a true story, but with a fun twist: all the characters are bunnies! The book shares Cece's own experiences growing up with deafness. Cece Bell once said that she chose bunnies because they are known for their big ears and great hearing. This makes her story about deaf bunnies quite unique and interesting!
Cece's Story: The Plot of El Deafo
The book tells the story of young Cece Bell. When she was little, she became deaf and needed a special hearing aid called a Phonic Ear. This device helped her hear the world around her.
But having a hearing aid also made Cece feel different from other kids. She really wanted to find a true friend. Sometimes, she felt sad or frustrated because she worried about losing the few friends she had.
To cope with these feelings, Cece started to think of her hearing aid as a superpower. It let her hear amazing things! For example, her teachers wore tiny microphones that sent sounds right to Cece's hearing aid. Sometimes, they forgot to turn them off. This meant Cece could hear private conversations, even when teachers left the classroom!
Because of this "superpower," Cece gave herself a secret nickname: "El Deafo."
As time went on, Cece became more confident. She started to open up to people around her. This was especially true when she met a new friend who didn't seem to care that Cece wore a hearing aid.
Cece also learned to stand up for herself. She began to talk to people who treated her differently because of her deafness. She found that many of them didn't even realize their actions were hurting her feelings.
Finally, Cece felt comfortable enough to share her secret "El Deafo" identity with her new friend. Her friend was thrilled and agreed to be her sidekick! As Cece grew older, she realized she no longer needed to hide her "superpower" from anyone.
Who's Who in El Deafo?
Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in El Deafo:
- Cecilia 'Cece' Bell: The main character of the story.
- Dorn: Cece's Kindergarten Teacher.
- Mrs. Lufton: Cece's First Grade Teacher.
- Mrs. Ikelberry: Cece's Third Grade Teacher.
- Mrs. Sinklemann: Cece's Fifth Grade Teacher.
- Emma: Cece's first best friend.
- Laura: Cece's best friend in first and second grade.
- Ginny Wakeley: Cece's new friend in third grade.
- Martha Ann Claytor: Cece's best friend in sixth grade.
- Mike Miller: Cece's first crush and new neighbor.
- Babara Bell: Cece's Mother.
- George Bell: Cece's Father.
- Ashley Bell: Cece's Older Brother.
- Sarah Bell: Cece's Oldest Sister.
- Mr. Potts: Cece's Gym Teacher.
- El Deafo: Cece's secret superhero self.
Awards and Recognition
El Deafo has won some really important awards!
- In 2015, it received a Newbery Honor. This is a very special award given to authors of the most outstanding American children's books.
- It also won the 2015 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids (ages 8–12). The Eisner Awards are like the "Oscars" for comic books and graphic novels!
