She soon realizes that the Phonic Ear gives her a super hearing ability. The Phonic Ear is not something Cece wants to hide for long. At first she desperately wants to hide her Phonic Ear. But with this new and nervous situation beginning to scare her Cece gets a new hearing aide, the Phonic Ear. Her family has moved to a small town and she is mainstreamed into a whole new school setting. Then things become confusing once again and slightly scary, but only for a moment, the moment right before Cece realizes she is one-of-a-kind superhero. There is a little glimmer of hope, however, when she starts to attend a new school with an amazing teacher who teaches her to read lips and pay attention to context clues in order to better understand the blurry words she can barely make out with her new hearing aide. Her hearing aide, however, doesn’t quite help. After visiting an audiologist she is told she must now wear a hearing aide. After spending what seems like an eternity for a little kid, and especially one who can’t quite figure out why the hospital and everyone in it is so seemingly quiet, Cece gets released. Or at least it should be!Ĭlever and endearing, young adult readers meet their adorable main character right before she becomes tragically ill with meningitis.

One of the best young adult graphic novels of the year I am comfortable telling you right away that El Deafo is going to be (or should be) seriously considered – deservedly! – for some awards.

El deafo book 2