My name is Cece Bell.
When I was a kid,
I lived right here in this big, old house in a small town in Virginia.
Twinkle, twinkle little star
I was a goofy little kid.
I remember playing with my mom's things…
Drop the lipstick, Missy!
…and teasing my dad…
Oh, Cece. You little pest.
…and watching lots of TV with my sister, Sarah, and my brother, Ashley.
Mightybolt saves the city
With the power of electricity
I also remember that scary day
when everything changed.
- My head hurts! - Cece, are you okay?
Cece? Cece!
Mom, something's wrong with Cece.
Oh, Cece.
Oh, my!
Cece?
You're burning up.
George!
- What? What's happening? - We have to do something! - What? What's happening? - We have to do something!
Right. Let's get her to the hospital.
I'm here. Cece, stay with me.
It's a very bad infection.
Oh, my goodness.
We'll give her medicine, keep a close eye on things.
We'll take very good care of her, but it's going to take some time.
Don't worry, Cece. Everything will be okay.
Everything was so quiet.
It wasn't all bad. I got to draw a lot.
…beautiful!
And I got some great gifts!
I was feeling so much better.
It was finally time to go home.
Welcome back, Cece.
I remember being so scared that I would somehow end up back in the hospital.
So I stayed close to Mom, no matter where she was.
But one day, I lost her.
Mama? Mama?
That's when I figured it out, and I think Mom did too.
I couldn't hear anymore.
Let's just move this here.
How did she do?
It looks like she's lost a lot of hearing.
The man said I needed a hearing aid, and one week later, I got one.
…look at you. Perfect!
Can you hear anything?
- Cece? Can you hear me? - Yeah.
Yes, I can,
but everybody sounds so weird, even me.
Don't worry. She'll get used to it in no time at all. Don't worry. She'll get used to it in no time at all.
Would you like a lollipop, Cece?
Oh, no.
Hello? Hello?
So weird.
- I can't believe Mom got soda! - I know, right?
We're so lucky.
Do you think my hearing aids make me look funny?
No way! I think you look good.
You sound a little funny though.
I mean, like, different from how you used to sound.
What? I sound funny? You guys are the ones that sound funny!
Whenever I got upset back then,
I'd listen to the TV.
It was the only sound that made any sense to me.
When it was time for me to start kindergarten, I was really nervous.
Would I understand anybody?
Here we are!
Look, Cece. Isn't this nice? Look, Cece. Isn't this nice?
Would anybody understand me?
Who's that?
Hi, I'm Wendy.
Hi.
She has one too.
Welcome!
Why don't you come sit down over here?
Okay.
Bye, Mama.
Come sit next to me!
Hello, everyone. My name is Dorn, and I'm your new teacher.
We're going to be learning a lot this year,
but today we're going to talk about lip-reading.
Lip-reading is watching people's mouths move when they talk,
so that you can understand them better.
I think we need a little demonstration.
Cece, can you help?
Okay.
Okay, Cece. What do you think you need to see in order to lip-read?
- Lips? - Yes! Exactly.
Now, can you tell me what I'm saying when I do this?
I don't know.
That's okay. Try it now.
Hello, Cece.
Hello, Cece?
Yes! You listened and watched my lips
and figured out what I said.
That's lip-reading.
In case you're wondering
if we also learned sign language, we didn't.
Back then, a lot of us deaf kids
were only shown how to lip-read.
It gets easier when you also watch how people act when they talk.
I am sad.
I am sad!
Good! Now try this one.
I am happy! I am happy!
- I am happy! - Yes. That's it!
And I am happy because you are lip-reading.
Okay, everyone.
When you get home today,
practice lip-reading with your family and friends.
Tonight's supper is meat loaf and mashed potatoes.
- Meat loaf and mashed potatoes! - Yes! You got it!
But what Dorn didn't tell us
was that a lot of the time, lip-reading is really hard.
Like when people shout…
What?
…or have mustaches…
or talk with a mouth full of food.
Sometimes, you can't see people's lips at all!
What?
"Ice cream." That's what you said!
I actually said "dessert."
Same thing!
- Oh, yeah! - But the worst is
when everybody talks at once.
Good luck with that.
What?
This is impossible.
Did you practice lip-reading last night?
How did it go?
Trying to lip-read, trying to understand,
it was all so complicated.
And it was so hard to explain any of this to anybody,
except at school. except at school.
My classmates and me, we understood.
Everything was new and different.
And we were lost, drifting along on our own planets,
but we were together in the same universe at least.
Little did I know how much that universe
would change as I got older.
Will I be in a class like my old one?
No, I'm sorry.
Your new school doesn't have a class like that.
So, there won't be anybody there like me?
What if everybody thinks I'm weird?
They won't! You're such a good lip-reader. They won't! You're such a good lip-reader.
Plus, your dad and I bought this brand-new super powerful hearing aid
for you to use at school.
See?
Mom! That's huge.
Well… it'll sound a lot like your regular hearing aids,
but there is one big difference.
You'll use it with this. This microphone.
Your teacher will wear it,
and her voice will go right to your ears.
You'll be able to hear everything she says.
I-- I don't know.
Oh, Cece. Why don't you try it on?
See what it feels like.
Wait. What did he say?
You might be wondering,
"Why not use subtitles to see the words on the screen?"
Well, they didn't have those when I was a kid.
So I tried my best to lip-read the TV.
Sometimes I could.
It's lunchtime, Mightybolt.
I hope you like bologna!
Thanks, Lunchmeat,
but I prefer fried bologna.
But most of the time, I couldn't.
Forget it.
I can't lip-read a butt!
Hey! I was watching that. Hey! I was watching that.
Two against one.
Look! She's got a hearing aid.
Wait. What did she just say?
Well…
The one kid called the other kid… "Deafo."
"Deafo"? That's mean.
Deafo!
Why are you laughing?
It just sounds so funny!
Deafo!
Deafo.
What was wrong with me?
The word "Deafo" might sound funny,
but it really wasn't funny at all.
I guess that's a little better.
Oh, no.
Hey, "Deafo."
Are they gonna call me "Deafo" too?
Bye, Cece.
And don't worry.
You're gonna have a great day.
- Bye-bye. - Bye, Mama.
Hey, Carrie.
Hey, Johnnie, what's that?
It's my radio.
Turn it on, turn it on!
- Oh, my gosh! I love this song! - Me too. - Oh, my gosh! I love this song! - Me too.
Me too!
That song is so corny, it's a-maize-ing!
Hey!
Quick, she's coming!
Hi, Mrs. Sinklemann.
This is my microphone. You can--
You can just put it around your neck.
Wonderful. Thank you, Cece.
Let's start again.
Oh, yeah.
Is everything okay?
Is it working?
Welcome, welcome, everyone
My name's Mrs. Sinklemann
I couldn't believe how loud and clear
the microphone made Mrs. Sinklemann sound.
And even when she wasn't facing me,
I could understand every word.
Remember to get your homework done
Soon the day will be gone away
So let's have a ton of fun
Are you deaf?
Maybe.
Can you hear this?
Johnnie Wilson!
Turn that off this instant and come with me. Now! Turn that off this instant and come with me. Now!
The rest of you open your notebooks and draw something that makes you happy.
I'll be back shortly.
Johnnie, your behavior is making me madder than a--
Hello, Mrs. Jones!
You're going to the principal's office, young man.
Principal Eckhart, there's someone here who needs to talk to you.
Isn't that right, Johnnie?
- Feeling blue? - Oh, my gosh!
Wishing you were somewhere else?
It was absolutely amazing.
I could hear Mrs. Sinklemann and understand her
anywhere in the whole school.
Even when she used…
the bathroom! the bathroom!
What are you laughing about?
Nothing.
But that wasn't nothing.
That was something.
Something incredible!
Just like Mightybolt used all that equipment
to fight for what's right,
I could use my own equipment, the Phonic Ear,
to be a superhero too.
Others might call me "Deafo"…
but you can call me "El Deafo."
What happened?
Nothing.
Want a chip?
Thanks.
My name is Laura, and that's a prettier name than your name.
You're kinda funny.
Wanna come to my house after school sometime?
Okay.
Great. Here's what we're gonna do.
We're having homemade brownies for snacks,
and we're gonna make a cushion fort.
And then we're gonna draw and play with my dog, Fluff.
That's so nice.
Thanks.
Mine's prettier though, don't you think?
Okay.
Hey. Let's play the dining room game.
All right. What's that?
Just march around the table. It's fun!
Is that it?
It'll get better. Just keep marching.
Now, Fluff.
Now!
You should have seen how funny you looked.
How do you like being my friend, El Deafo?
My magic mind meld puts you right where I want you,
totally under my control!
You can't control me, Dr. Not Nice!
Get her, Fluff!
Not so fast, puppy.
How do y'all like my moves, Dr. Not Nice?
You're not so great, El Deafo!
Oh, yes, I am. Check this out!
Help! Help!
The best way to deal with "friends" like Dr. Not Nice?
Ignore.
Help!
Sorry.
Yeah. So don't forget,
I wanna dress like twins at school this week.
So wear a blue shirt and some white pants tomorrow, okay?
Okay.
I forgot to do today's homework.
Don't worry, I've forgotten mine for years.
You're wearing the wrong blue.
Good grief. Now we don't match.
Everyone, this is our new student, Ginny.
Ginny, you can sit there, next to Cece.
Is that a hearing aid?
I guess.
I thought so.
Mightybolt is dumb.
Nobody likes him or his lunch box.
Mightybolt is cool.
No way. That show is for babies.
Excuse me, Laura, but I wasn't talking to you.
- Mightybolt saves the city - …the city
- With the power of electrici-- - With the power of electricity
That's not how the song goes.
It is my birthday soon.
Can you come to my sleepover?
You're not going to that dumb thing, are you?
I guess I'd better not.
- I'm sorry. - Yeah, she's not coming.
She's my best friend, not yours. She's my best friend, not yours.
You can't control me, Dr. Not Nice.
Ginny, wait. I think I might come after all.
You're going?
Fine then. Have fun.
We will.
And just like that,
it was "Goodbye, Laura," and "Hello, Ginny."
I crossed my fingers
and hoped she was the one who would be my best friend forever.
I think I'm better off Than I was yesterday
When you came and swooped in
Pulling me the other way
If we stick together
We might be well on our way To something great
A good idea that's taking shape A good idea that's taking shape
I don't wanna fall behind
Yeah, I am not afraid When you're nearby
I think together we could Fly up in the sky
I don't wanna fall behind
Yeah, I am not afraid When you're nearby
I think together we could Fly up in the sky