Cece Bell

Cecelia Carolina Bell[1] (born December 26, 1970, in Richmond, Virginia) is an American author, cartoonist, and illustrator. Most well known for her graphic novel El Deafo, Bell's work has appeared in The Atlantic, Vegetarian Times, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, Working Woman, Esquire and many other publications.

Cece Bell
Bell at the 2019 National Book Festival
Bell at the 2019 National Book Festival
Born (1970-12-26) December 26, 1970
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationWriter, cartoonist, illustrator
EducationPaier College of Art
GenreChildren's literature
Years active1991–present
SpouseTom Angleberger
Children2
Website
cecebell.com

Biography

Bell suffered hearing loss as a child due to a case of meningitis. As a result, she had to get used to using bulky and prominent hearing devices around her school-age peers.

Bell attended the Paier College of Art as an art major and went on to get a graduate degree in illustration and design at Kent State University in 1991. She became a freelance commercial artist, illustrator, and designer for an array of projects before beginning her career as a full-time author-illustrator.

Career

El Deafo
Main article: El Deafo

El Deafo is based on Bell's own childhood. She wanted there to be a handbook for hearing people so they knew how to understand and communicate with deaf people without being disrespectful. The project eventually evolved into graphic novel where children who were deaf could see themselves positively represented in a book.

Bell uses the imagery of everyone illustrated as rabbits as a visual metaphor. When she was growing up, she felt like she was the only "rabbit" whose ears didn't work, in doing so she shows being deaf as a power. She also shows and talks about how being deaf isn't something negative.[2]

The title of the graphic novel comes from the idea that Cece feels powerful like a superhero with the assistance of her Phonic Ear, the hearing aid she uses in order to hear her teachers at school.[3]

Personal life

Bell is married to children's author Tom Angleberger.[4]

Awards and honors

Bell won the Newbery Medal Honor[5] and Eisner Award[6] for El Deafo.

Five of Bell's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Sock Monkey Rides Again (2007),[7] El Deafo (2014),[8] Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit (2016),[9] Smell My Foot!: Chick and Brain (2019),[10] and Egg or Eyeball? (2020),[11]

In 2014, El Deafo was named one of the best books of the year by The Horn Book Magazine,[12] Kirkus Reviews,[13] the Los Angeles Public Library,[8] Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.[8] It was also a New York Times Notable Children’s Book.[8]

In 2019, Smell My Foot! was named one of the best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library and School Library Journal.[10]

Awards for Bell's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2012 Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover Cybils Award for Early Chapter Books Finalist [14]
2013 The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee (as illus.) NAIBA Book of the Year for Middle Readers Winner [15]
2013 Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor [16]
2014 El Deafo Cybils Award for Elementary and Middle Grade Graphic Novel Winner [17]
2014 El Deafo Goodreads Choice Award for Best Middle Grade and Children's Nominee [18]
2014 El Deafo Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature Finalist [13][19]
2015 El Deafo Guardian Children's Fiction Prize Longlist [20][21]
2015 El Deafo Charlotte Huck Award Honor [22]
2015 El Deafo Children's Choice Book Award for Debut Author Finalist [23]
2015 El Deafo Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids Winner [6]
2015 El Deafo Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work Finalist [24]
2015 El Deafo Judy Lopez Memorial Award Winner [25]
2015 El Deafo Newbery Medal Honor [26][5]
2016 Rabbit and Robot and Ribbit Cybils Award for Early Chapter Books Finalist [27]
2020 Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor [16]

Publications

Standalone books
  • Busy Buddies: Silly Stuff That Goes Together (2006, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-2776-8)
  • Food Friends: Fun Foods That Go Together (2006, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-2777-5)
  • Bee-Wigged (2008, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-3614-2)
  • Itty Bitty (2009, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-3616-6)
  • El Deafo (2014, Harry N. Abrams, ISBN 978-1-4197-1020-9)
  • I Yam a Donkey! (2015, Clarion Books, ISBN 978-0-5440-8720-0)
  • Chuck and Woodchuck (2016, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-7524-0)
  • You Loves Ewe! (2019, Clarion Books, ISBN 978-1-3285-2611-3)

Sock Monkey trilogy (2003-2006)
  1. Sock Monkey Goes To Hollywood: A Star Is Bathed (2003, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7445-9850-6)
  2. Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie: A Friend Is Made (2004, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-2392-0)
  3. Sock Monkey Rides Again (2006, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-3089-8)

Rabbit & Robot duo (2012-2016)
  1. The Sleepover (2012, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-7935-4)
  2. Rabbit and Robot and Ribbit (2016, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-7935-4)

Inspector Flytrap trilogy (2016-2017)
  1. Inspector Flytrap with Tom Angleberger (2016, Amulet Books, ISBN 978-1-4197-0948-7)
  2. Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing with Tom Angleberger (2016, Harry N. Abrams, ISBN 978-1-4197-0955-5)
  3. Inspector Flytrap in The Goat Who Chewed Too Much with Tom Angleberger (2017, Harry N. Abrams, ISBN 978-1-4197-0956-2)

Chick and Brain duo (2019-2020)
  1. Smell My Foot! (2019, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-7936-1)
  2. Egg or Eyeball? (2020, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-1-5362-0439-1)

As contributor

As illustrator
  • The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, written by Tom Angleberger (2012, Harry N. Abrams, ISBN 978-1-4197-0392-8)
  • Bug Patrol, written by Denise Dowling Mortensen (2013, Clarion Books, ISBN 978-0-6187-9024-1)
  • Crankee Doodle, written by Tom Angleberger (2013, Clarion Books, ISBN 978-0-5478-1854-2)

References
  1. "Cece Bell: How I made 'El Deafo' in pictures". The Guardian. August 4, 2015. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  2. "Cece Bell: I wanted to show what it felt like to be the only deaf kid at my school". The Guardian. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on March 2, 2017.
  3. NPR Staf "'El Deafo': How A Girl Turned Her Deafness Into A Superpower" Archived March 10, 2018, at the Wayback Machine "All Things Considered", December 14, 2014
  4. Hilboldt Allport, Brandy (March 21, 2013). "Read All About It: Author in orbit again with winsome activity book". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  5. Communications and Marketing Office (February 6, 2015). "American Library Association announces 2015 youth media award winners". American Library Association. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  6. "2010-Present". Comic-Con International: San Diego. December 2, 2012. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  7. "Sock Monkey Rides Again by Cece Bell". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  8. "El Deafo by Cece Bell". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  9. "Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit by Cece Bell". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  10. "Smell My Foot!: Chick and Brain by Cece Bell". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  11. "Egg or Eyeball?: Chick and Brain by Cece Bell". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  12. "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book. Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  13. "El Deafo". Kirkus Reviews. July 22, 2014. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. "2012 Cybils Finalists". Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  15. "Awards: NAIBA Books of the Year". Shelf Awareness. August 5, 2015. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  16. "(Theodore Seuss) Geisel Award Winners & Honor Books, 2006 – present" (PDF). Association for Library Service to Children. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  17. "2014 Cybils Winners". Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  18. "El Deafo". Goodreads. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  19. "Awards: Thurber; Maine Readers' Choice; Kirkus Prize". Shelf Awareness. October 1, 2014. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  20. "Awards: Hellenic Winners; Guardian Children's Fiction". Shelf Awareness. July 15, 2015. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  21. "David Almond Wins Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2015". Publishers Weekly. November 19, 2015. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  22. "NCTE Charlotte Huck Award® Outstanding Fiction for Children Winner List" (PDF). National Council of Teachers of English. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  23. "Children's Choice Book Award Finalists Announced". Publishers Weekly. February 19, 2015. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  24. Asselin, Janelle (May 22, 2015). "2015 Eisner Award Nominations Announced". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  25. "Meet Our Previous Winners". The Judy Lopez Memorial Award. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  26. "El Deafo | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. April 12, 2015. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  27. "2016 Cybils Finalists". Children's and Young Adult Book Lover's Literary Awards. Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
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