Sometimes the easiest way to explain something tricky to children is through a story.  These are the best books to teach children about deafness or hearing loss.

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My daughter was born with normal hearing, but by 4 years old she was no longer hearing within the normal range.  It took some time to diagnose the cause, but we now know a cholesteatoma  was the culprit.  At her most recent audiology appointment, she was diagnosed as moderate/severe hearing loss.  She wears hearing aids to help her hear.  The new devices have brought confidence and access to the world around her.  It also brought a lot of questions.

To help explain the devices to both her and her younger sister, I’ve turned to stories and toys.  Talking about what hearing loss is, devices worn, and stories of individuals thriving is really important.  After a year of being aided, it’s second nature to my HOH and her sibling.  Although my preschool still confused “hearing aid” with “earring.”  As a mama, I never want to correct those adorable little mispronuncations (grapes = beeps, for example) so I’m letting it slide for now.

Books to Teach Children About Hearing Loss

Freddie and the Fairy by Julia Donaldson

One of my favorite Halloween stories is Room on the Broom with its rhyming tale of a witch who drops her belongings along her journey and ends up picking up a few friends along the way.  Freddie and the Fairy is similar in its childlike whimsical rhyme pattern and tells the tale of a little boy named Freddie.  When he finds a fairy named Bessie-Belle, she agrees to grant his wishes.  The conflict arises as the fairy doesn’t hear very well, and Freddie mumbles.

This is a great conversation starter about hearing loss. It’s also a great resource for siblings or friends.  After reading, chat about what others can do to help their hard of hearing friends.  Yelling isn’t needed, but there are things we can do to help.

Some easy habits to communicate a friend with hearing loss:

• Face your friend
• Don’t cover your face
• Cut down on background noise

Maxi’s Super Ears by Maggie Klein

This is a great option when a child receives his or her first set of hearing aids.  Maxi is a little boy (based on an actual child) who learns about acceptance.  Assistive technology makes you special, and that can be a very cool thing.  Preschoolers through young elementary students will love Maxi’s “super ears.”

Boy by Phil Cummings

Boy speaks with dancing hands and draws pictures in the sand.  In Boy, the Deaf protagonist can’t hear what all the fuss is about as the king battles the local dragon.

This is a great conversation starter for sharing that “dancing hands” is a special language called Sign Language, and a great reminder that people who are Deaf can live happy and even heroic lives.

 Let’s Hear It for Almigal  by Wendy Kupfer

When my own daughter first received her hearing aids, she commented that she could hear the wind.  Likewise Almigal is on a quest to hear it all when she receives her cochlear implant.  It’s full of the sweetest sounds that none of us should take for granted.

Lucy by Sally O. Lee

My own daughter started with one-sided hearing loss, or unilateral hearing loss.  However, further assessment has identified loss in both ears.  Lucy can’t hear out of one ear, and her story is a great one to share with children to understand this partial loss.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

A graphic novel, great for older students, El Deafo has the super power of the Phonic Ear.  It’s a great choice for embracing the challenges that face us all.  It’s also a great talking point for anyone who uses an FM of other amplication system in the classroom.

The middle school years can be rough on all of us.  El Deafo is a great resource for how we should treat anyone with a disability.

We are continuing to learn about hearing loss as a family.  Stories such as these help open up conversations and bring a little understanding.  Do you have any favorite books about hearing loss to add to the list? Share them in the comments!