Books like El Deafo

Looking for books like El Deafo by Cece Bell (Middle Grade Graphic Novel · 420L · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of disability, friendship, and self-acceptance. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to El Deafo

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Why each is a match

Smile410L
Shares themes of friendship, self-acceptance, and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and a close reading level (410L vs 420L).
Roller Girl440L
Shares themes of friendship and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and a close reading level (440L vs 420L).
Dog Man390L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and a close reading level (390L vs 420L).
Big Nate: In a Class by Himself500L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and a close reading level (500L vs 420L).
The Season of Styx Malone510L
Shares themes of friendship and growing up and a close reading level (510L vs 420L).
Fish in a Tree550L
Shares themes of disability and friendship and a close reading level (550L vs 420L).
Out of My Mind700L
Shares themes of disability and friendship and overlapping grades (4–7).
New Kidgrades 4–8
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Charlotte's Web680L
Shares themes of friendship and growing up and overlapping grades (3–5).
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
Shares themes of friendship and growing up and overlapping grades (3–7).

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