Kid Reviews of

El Deafo

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Kids Say

age 9+

Based on 19 kid reviews

Kid Reviews

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age 10+

Brilliant, thoughtful graphic novel has great characters and imaginative illustrations

SPOILER WARNING! Before I say anything else, I want to say that El Deafo is one of the best graphic novels I have ever read. I found this book at a book store when I was around ten and since then, I have read it at least once every year. The illustrations are fantastic (all of the characters are rabbits, which is something I've never seen in a graphic novel before). The story is very funny, but also sad and serious sometimes. Cece is extremely likeable, and older kids and tweens will most likely love this book. The story has a great, satisfying ending, too. Cece Bell is a great illustrator and writer, and this is a book I definitely recommend to families. Here are some other things that parents should be aware of: EDUCATIONAL VALUE (4/5)- There is a lot of information about what is what like for Cece to grow up deaf. Cece wears hearing aids, and there is some information about how some hearing aids work. POSITIVE MESSAGES (3/5)- There are good messages about being a good friend and finding friends who are fun and who care about you. POSITIVE ROLE MODELS (3/5)- Cece is realistic and brave, and she tries hard to be a good friend, though she isn't perfect. VIOLENCE, SCARINESS, AND DISTURBING ILLUSTRATIONS (3/10)- Cece ends up in the hospital in the first few pages of the book. She gets very sick and loses her hearing as a result of the illness. A dog bites Cece's leg. There is no blood shown. Cece imagines tying a girl who was mean to her to a chair. There is an illustration of this. The girl is tied to a chair with a dog biting her foot. Cece watches a TV cartoon where you see a character threatening to hurt another character with an axe. Some characters are unkind to Cece. While playing tag, Cece runs into a tree and hurts her eye. You see some blood dripping from her eye. She is not seriously injured. Cece's teacher reads Cece's class a book. The line that the teacher reads is: "His flesh is rotting off those mean bones, and maggots are creeping in his eye sockets and crawling out his nose holes." LANGUAGE (1/10)- The word "hell" is used. SEX (2/10)- Cece watches a movie where you see a character on a screen wearing a bikini. Cece has a crush on a boy in her class. Cece daydreams about kissing that boy. DRINKING, DRUGS, AND SMOKING (2/10)- Adults smoke cigarettes and drink wine once or twice. Cece's older sister smokes a cigarette in one scene. WHAT AGE CAN A KID READ IT? I said ten and up because I think kids younger than ten might not find the story very interesting. Also, the story ends when Cece is a tween and has a crush on a boy from school, and the story is definitely written for tweens and teens. If your kid has been begging to read it, though, eight and up is probably OK. In conclusion, El Deafo is a fantastic, funny graphic novel that is perfect for tweens and teens.

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
age 9+

El Deafo

A really great book about growing up deaf. This is my favorite book. It has great messages too.

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
age 9+

A fantastic educational book

I read this when I was what, ten? Yeah, i really liked it, and I have read this multiple times since. I recommend it, a lot. The book is heart-felt and just…wonderful. There is a bit of smoking, but not too much. I always felt like the warning of smoking never really mattered anyways. They see people do it all the time in real life.

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
age 7+

Pretty good!

I like the comic,it is about this bunny girl who is deaf. I like the story and i like how she is kinda like a superhero! The message is good, to be kind to everybody and not to judge the by there looks. It also talks about freindship,el deafo (cece) really wants to find a true freind! overall this is a really good book to read!

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
age 12+

Review By An Actual Kid

Hi! I liked this book I guess. It had some things I didn’t like too. It had some mature content and I thought it was inappropriate some times. I told my librarian at school because I was reading it for a class assignment and she said I shouldn’t have to read a book that made me uncomfortable. Be Carful when giving this book to small kids it’s funny at some parts and inappropriate in others. One inappropriate thing is the girl was smoking and so was the mom (Not a good role model) and she talked about a crush like through half the book... I hope you consider my review before reading.

This title has:

  • Too much sex
  • Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 6+

Awesome book!

I first read this when I was 6 and I have read it 9 times since then. It's such a great book! Nothing inappropriate. Very inspirational!

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
age 8+

the book has a great theme, but supporting characters aren't well developed.

'El Deafo' is a great fast pace coming of age graphic novel for kids 8 and up. The book explains what the main character, Cece, experiences through her childhood being deaf. She has to wear a device that allows her to hear those around her. Throughout the book, she meets good and toxic friends who impact her. Some take advantage of her and other are kind, though she meets quite a few fake friends who she learns to stay away from. None of the characters develop well, even Cece. She also meets a boy named Mike who she has a crush on. I thought that he was a bad influence on her and would learn to be obedient and well-behaved, but he never gets talked to about his frequent bad decisions. Personally, when I read the novel I felt that Cece stayed the same age and didn't grow up at all. The pace of the book felt inconsistent to the actual timeframe it took place in. Overall, the book has positive messages that you may want your kid to know, but it isn't all that amazing.

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
age 7+

I looooooooooooooooooved this

This Was a GREAT book about growing up deaf but it had love stuff and the teachers smoked too much.

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
  • Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 10+

!!!!!

It was pretty good but you should be 10 because I read that the age of eight and I regret doing that

This title has:

  • Educational value
  • Great messages
  • Great role models
  • Too much sex
age 10+

Really fun book! I still enjoy it 'till this day!

El Deafo is a great heartwarming story for all ages. It is very entertaining and engaging. I recommend this for ten and older because this book can be mature for young readers. Amazing!

This title has:

  • Too much swearing

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