Cecelia Carolina Bell[1] (born December 26, 1970, in Richmond, Virginia) is an American author, cartoonist, and illustrator.

She became a freelance commercial artist, illustrator, and designer for an array of projects before beginning her career as a full-time author-illustrator.

The project eventually evolved into a graphic novel where children who were deaf could see themselves positively represented in a book.

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.

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!