El Deafo

by Cece Bell

It's a graphic novel! The main character is deaf! It's an autobiography! 

Cece was an average kid until she contracted a disease at age four which left her profoundly deaf.  This occurred in an era when technology was just beginning to be useful in aiding comprehension of language.  Ms. Bell does a wonderful job creating showcasing her childhood struggles and successes. 

Cece makes her way through school with a specialized hearing aid. She quickly discovers her ability to hear her teacher anywhere in the building - even the bathroom.  She uses that power to create a secret identity for herself; she becomes El Deafo. 

This is a great read for anyone who enjoys superheroes.  I'd also recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Sharon Draper's Out of My Mind. 

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

When the band Dumb wins Seattle's Teen Battle of the Bands, they celebrate with an unauthorized gig on the school's front steps. After watching their impromptu performance, 17-year-old Piper smarts off about the quality of their showmanship and lands herself a job as Dumb's manager. It's a job she's sure she can do ... despite the fact she's mostly deaf and can barely hear what they sound like.

I loved this book - it's a new take on a familiar theme. The band comes with its predictable problems: musical direction, personnel changes, front-man syndrome, lack of talent. But Piper's stubborn insistence on making it work (namely because several other things in her life aren't working out so well) adds a different variable to the equation.