In the November/December 2014 Horn Book Magazine, reviewer Deirdre Baker asked Cece Bell about her graphic novel memoir El Deafo — which is told entirely with anthropomorphic bunnies. Read the starred review here; see more grrl-power graphic novels here.

Deirdre F. Baker: Why did you choose to tell your autobiography with bunny characters?

Cece Bell: As the only deaf kid in my elementary school, I felt very different and isolated from everyone else. Having to wear my awkward hearing aid intensified that feeling. To metaphorically show the magnitude of this, I made all the characters bunnies.

What are bunnies known for? Big ears; excellent hearing. In the book, my bunny ears are just as big as everyone else’s — but they don’t work the same. Plus, I’ve got those funny-looking cords. Embarrassing! It wasn’t easy being a broken-eared bunny. And thankfully, I don’t feel like that now.

From the November/December 2014 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.