"Waiting On" Wednesday: El Deafo

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I read a brief preview of EL DEAFO on NetGalley, and it whetted my appetite for the whole thing.  This graphic memoir is the story of Cece Bell's hearing loss and how she dealt with it as a kid.  You might know Bell from her illustration work, including the Sock Monkey series. 

Here's the publisher blurb for EL DEAFO:

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.

The art is pretty cute, with everyone being represented by animals (kind of like Arthur). It's a cute style that's totally appropriate for the age group.

From EL DEAFO by Cece Bell

I look forward to reading the whole book on September 2, 2014!