I learned about this book because I went to an author event set up by my public library-- and I got to see and hear Cece Bell speak. She was/is amazing! She ended up losing 90% of her hearing when she was a toddler, and El Deafo describes a fictionalized version of her life from that time until she was in late elementary school. I mean, the characters are rabbits. Clearly it's fictionalized. But I feel like it offers an emotionally safe way for younger persons to consider what it might really be like to be deaf, mostly because the reader gets so caught up in Cece's world that it becomes easy to identify with her. On top of that, she mentioned* how she hopes it will help kids who feel... different... like their lives could turn out OK. I'm not a kid, and I still feel like it left me with this message.
*I'm paraphrasing what I remember from an event several years ago. Please don't be mad at me, Cece Bell, (if you see this) if I got your words wrong! (But do please email me, because I want to get it right.)
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