{"id":1520,"date":"2008-12-04T00:01:18","date_gmt":"2008-12-04T06:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2008-12-04T08:38:53","modified_gmt":"2008-12-04T14:38:53","slug":"seven-questions-over-breakfast-with-cece-bell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1520","title":{"rendered":"Seven Questions Over Breakfast with Cece Bell"},"content":{"rendered":"

If I were more organized I would have declared this Blog Tour Week here at 7-Imp. First, Maxwell Eaton III<\/strong><\/a> stopped by, kicking off his tour at 7-Imp, and now Cece Bell<\/strong><\/a> is here in the midst of her own tour<\/strong><\/a> (if you’re interested in winning some original Cece art at the close of her tour, be sure to check out that link). I think Maxwell and Cece are a good pair of illustrators to show up beside one another during a one-week span, seeing as how they both create your more light-hearted, cheerful, cartoon-esque, colorful, fun-filled fare — books with uncluttered, spare styles and simple, rounded shapes for the youngest of picture book readers, yet ones that rely on their visual humor to snag the reader. Cece, who’s joining me for “buttered toast and hot chocolate”<\/font> this morning, has certainly created books without<\/em> a sock monkey as the protagonist, but there’s no question she’s better known for her tales of one of those old-fashioned, hand-crafted toys made from, you know, socks and fashioned to look like, you know, monkeys (all those titles published by Candlewick). Since 2003, Cece’s brought us three tales of Sock Monkey, beginning with Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star is Bathed<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, which Publishers Weekly<\/em> described as Cece’s “imaginatively silly debut.” Bouncy, breezy, “as light as cotton candy” (that would be School Library Journal<\/em> on Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie: A Friend is Made<\/strong><\/a><\/em>) — these are descriptors for Cece’s tales. And, whew, what would we (and<\/em> the children. THINK OF THE CHILDREN!) do in this world without<\/em> our bouncy and breezy? <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cece’s brand-new title, Bee-Wigged<\/strong><\/em><\/a> (Candlewick, November ’08), which involves nary a monkey, is a tale aimed at young readers about the problem of being yourself and finding new friends. Here’s a brief moment with Jerry Bee, who loves people but is having trouble making friends, what with being a bee-with-a-stinger and all. Jerry picks up a wig he thinks might help solve his issues of alienation: <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I have learned that it’s always fun when Cece stops by, so let’s get right to it. Shall we get the basics from Cece while we set the table here for our seven questions over breakfast? And I thank her very much for stopping by. <\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Are you an illustrator or author\/illustrator?<\/font><\/p>\n

Cece<\/font><\/strong>: Author\/illustrator.<\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Can you list your books-to-date?<\/font><\/p>\n

Cece<\/font><\/strong>: <\/p>\n