Cecil Castellucci facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cecil Castellucci
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Castellucci at WonderCon 2017
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Cecil Seaskull |
| Born | October 25, 1969 New York City, NY, USA |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Occupation(s) | Novelist, singer, director |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2005–present (as writer) |
| Associated acts | Bite, Nerdy Girl |
Cecil C. Castellucci (born October 25, 1969, in New York City), also known as Cecil Seaskull, is a writer, singer, and director. She writes many books for young adults. She also makes indie rock music. Cecil was born in the United States but now lives in Vancouver, Canada.
Biography
Early Life and Education
Cecil Castellucci grew up in New York City. She went to the Laguardia High School of the Performing Arts. This school is famous for music and art. Later, she studied theater in Paris, France. She also went to Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. There, she earned a degree in film production.
Music Career
In Montreal, Cecil started her music journey. She was part of an all-female indie band called Bite. After leaving Bite, she formed a new band called Nerdy Girl. They recorded an album called Twist Her. Later, Nerdy Girl broke up. Cecil then moved to Los Angeles. She continued to make music on her own under the name Cecil Seaskull.
Film and Writing Beginnings
In 2001, Cecil helped start the Alpha 60 Film Collective. This group made experimental films. Her first novel, Boy Proof, was published in 2005. A short story she wrote in 2013, "We Have Always Lived on Mars," is being made into a movie.
Fun Facts About Cecil
Cecil Castellucci is a big fan of Star Trek. Her favorite series is Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Her favorite character from the show is Dax.
Novels
Cecil Castellucci has written many novels for young readers. Her books have been published by several companies. These include Candlewick Press, Scholastic Press, and DC Comics.
Boy Proof (2005)
Boy Proof is a story about a girl named Victoria Jurgen. She lives in Los Angeles and likes to be called "Egg." This is after a character in her favorite science fiction movie. Egg thinks she is "boy proof" and loves being a geek. But her ideas change when a new boy, Max Carter, comes to her school. This book was named one of the Best Books for Young Adults in 2006.
The Queen of Cool (2006)
This novel is about Libby Brin, a very popular girl at her school. Libby's life is full of parties and friends. One day, she feels bored with her life. She decides to work at the local zoo. There, she meets new people like Tina and Sheldon. These new friends make Libby think about what is truly important. She learns that being popular isn't everything.
Beige (2007)
Beige tells the story of Katy, a French-Canadian girl. She has to spend a summer with her father, Beau "The Rat" Ratner. He was in a punk band that never became famous. Her father hopes to connect with Katy through his music. But Katy does not like music very much.
Rose Sees Red (2010)
Set in New York in the 1980s, Rose Sees Red is about two ballet dancers. One is American and the other is Russian. Their friendship grows stronger despite their different cultures and countries.
Grandma's Gloves (2011)
Grandma's Gloves is a picture book. It shows a young girl and her grandmother bonding while gardening. It is a sweet story about finding comfort after losing a loved one. The child finds peace by continuing the activities they shared. This book won a California Book Award Gold Medal.
First Day on Earth (2011)
In First Day on Earth, a man named Mal thinks aliens took him. He joins a support group for people who believe they were abducted. There, he meets Hooper. Hooper might be a traveler from another world.
The Year of the Beasts (2012)
This book combines prose and comics. It tells two stories at once. One is about two sisters spending summer together. The other is a comic story about a girl who wakes up as a Medusa. Nate Powell illustrated the comic parts.
Odd Duck (2013)
Odd Duck, illustrated by Sara Varon, is about two ducks. They are both a bit unusual. They become good friends despite their differences.
Tin Star (2014) and Stone in the Sky (2015)
Tin Star is a young adult novel. It is about a girl who is left alone on an alien space station. Stone in the Sky is the sequel to Tin Star.
Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure (2015)
This book is part of the Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars - The Force Awakens series. It follows Princess Leia on an adventure.
Comics
Cecil Castellucci is also a talented comic book writer. She has written many graphic novels.
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes (2007) and Janes in Love (2008)
Cecil wrote the first graphic novel for DC Comics' Minx imprint. This imprint was made for young adult readers. The story is about a girl named Jane who moves to the suburbs. She forms a group called P.L.A.I.N., which stands for People Loving Art In Neighborhoods. At school, she finds three other girls named Jayne, Jane, and Polly Jane. They become her "tribe." Cecil won an award for her writing on Janes. A sequel, Janes in Love, was released in 2008. In this book, the P.L.A.I.N. group gets involved in love stories. They also try to get their art into a museum contest.
Shade, the Changing Girl
In 2016, DC Comics started a new series called Shade, The Changing Girl. Cecil Castellucci wrote this comic. It features a character named Shade, who is a female high school student. The artist for this series is Marley Zarcone. After 12 issues, the series was relaunched as Shade, the Changing Woman.
Other Comics Work
Cecil also wrote the graphic novel Soupy Leaves Home. This story is about a runaway who travels by train in 1932. It was published in 2017. Between 2019 and 2020, she wrote graphic novel versions of popular Disney animated movies. These include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid, and Frozen.
Music
Cecil Castellucci has had an active music career. She has been part of bands and released solo music.
Nerdy Girl
Nerdy Girl released several recordings. These include an EP and singles. Their album Twist Her was released in 1997.
Twist Her (1997)
This album includes songs like "Casa Nova," "Hate Me," and "Do You Like Me."
Cecil Seaskull
Cecil also released music as a solo artist under the name Cecil Seaskull.
Whoever (1998)
Her album Whoever was released in 1998. It features songs such as "True Love," "La Song," and "Sweet Girl."
Other Songs
Cecil has also contributed songs to compilation albums. These include "My Chores" and "Take Me." She has also performed a live cover of "Movin' Right Along" from The Muppets.
Les Aventures de Madame Merveille
In 2010, Cecil wrote the story for an opera called Les Aventures de Madame Merveille. It was a live comic book opera. It featured art by several artists. The opera premiered in Montreal in 2010.
Films
Cecil Castellucci has also been involved in making films.
Starwoids (2001)
Starwoids is a documentary film from 2001. It is about Star Wars fans who camped out for weeks to buy tickets for a movie. Cecil was part of this group and appears in the film.
Via Alpha 60
Cecil also made a film through the Alpha 60 Film Collective. This movie was based on what actors said in a questionnaire. It was shown at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.
Awards
Cecil Castellucci has received several awards and nominations for her work:
- 2018 Eisner Award nomination for Best Short Story: "Ethel Byrne"
- 2018 Harvey Award nomination for Book of the Year: Shade the Changing Girl
- 2018 EGL (Excellence in Graphic Literature) Award nominations in three categories: Soupy Leaves Home
- 2018 Best Feminist Reads Amelia Bloomer Award: Soupy Leaves Home
