Cecil Castellucci

Cecil Castellucci writes fiction and comics for young readers, placing art and popular culture at the center of a search for belonging. Boy Proof, her debut, appeared from Candlewick Press in 2005. Narrator Victoria Jurgen calls herself Egg after the central figure in a science fiction film. She shaves her head, dresses in white, takes photographs for a publication, and keeps classmates at a distance. New student Max unsettles the identity she has constructed, while her special effects artist father connects the story to work. The novel combines humor with loneliness and self presentation, asking when a protective persona becomes restrictive. The American Library Association selected Boy Proof for its 2006 Best Books for Young Readers list. Castellucci later wrote The Queen of Cool, Beige, and graphic narratives with artists.