A 2015 Newbery
Honor Book
Going to school and
making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new
friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest?
That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel
memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a
young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very
powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid.
The Phonic Ear gives
Cece the ability to hear—sometimes things she shouldn’t—but
also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit
in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is.
After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the
Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more
importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the
friend she’s longed for.
