Sock Monkey adds to his flat penny collection

Some of you may know that Sock Monkey collects flat pennies. Recently, an unnamed member of my family decided to clean S.M.’s collection by creating a vinegar/salt/baking soda soak for the pennies. The pennies are, shall we say, no longer with us. That’s right. They just about disintegrated. And there were a lot of pennies.

The pennies that were...

But, fortunately, S.M. has received some new flat pennies from some lovely people. And today, in the mail, he got this, from longtime pal and Resident Web Genius Kendrick Goss, a lovely man equally at home in the Past and in the Future:

The penny that is!

As S.M. said when he opened the envelope, “Squeeeeeeee!”

Amazing! Thank you, Mr Goss!

Sock Monkey Boogies to Korea!

Here’s what I got in the mail the other day:

It's... magic!

The Korean Magic Pen Society bought the rights to Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie, so that it could be one of many books offered in its Smart English Project. The website I4U News explains how it works a lot better than I can:

The ‘magic pen’ has a camera based scanner built-in that reads codes hidden in the book. It matches the code with the data on the corresponding cartridge and reads the text or triggers sounds.

And it really works!

So, believe it or not, Sock Monkey is helping Korean kids learn how to read English! If only he would help me learn how to read Korean. Apparently, he does know how. He’s just not telling.

The Big City Awaits!

I’m going to the Big City to meet with some editors soon! And I do love a Big City, especially drawing one.

Here’s the Big City in Itty Bitty, which some of you may know:

Can you find Itty Bitty in this city?

And here’s another Big City, from a book I made for school that was never published:

Look at all them pigs!

My favorite Big City artist is Bernard Waber, hands down. Check out this cool Big City scene in his book, Rich Cat, Poor Cat:

And we’d all live in the Big City if we could live in the house on East 88th Street:

Greatest brownstone ever!

If you’re in the Big City, I’ll give you a wave when I’m there! But I’m still kinda glad that I live in the country.

Sock Monkey for President!

Just in time for election season, I bring you these presidential buttons!

S.M. is totally non-partisan! Also, non-parmesan!

Welcome!

Hi everybody! And welcome!

• Want to know more about the Sock Monkey Series? Click here.
• How about some other books? Try here.
• Are there any new Cece Bell books coming out soon? Yes! And you can check them out here.
• Need to feel better about your housecleaning skills by comparing them with mine? Check this out.

You can also check out the links on the right for more good times! Thanks so much for dropping by.

Itty Bitty – Carnival Photo Cut-Out!

This carnival photo cut-out will make it’s debut at today’s Itty Bitty Launch Party! (That’s Cece, of course.)

Itty Bitty happenings…

This is cool … the illustrated interview that I did with BookPage is now online. It’s worth a look if you haven’t had a chance to see the print version. (Guess what? Tom Angleberger’s in it, too!)

A nice review from Kids’ Book Corner! (They liked Bee-Wigged, too!)

And kind words from Becky at Young Readers!

Itty Bitty Read Poster

Get the scoop on Itty Bitty over at Amazon or Powells or BN.com.

Itty Bitty’s biggest fan!

I got a box full of Itty Bitty books the other day — stores should get them in another week or two — and Sue Bee couldn’t wait to pose with the book…

Serious fans will recognize Sue Bee from the Monday Shirt video which I made for a Scott Brookman song.

Sock Monkey 101

What is the difference between a sock monkey and Sock Monkey?

This is a sock monkey.

I did not invent it. No one knows who made the first sock monkey. It has been decreed by the United States government that sock monkeys are part of the public domain. (I learned this at the Midway Village Museum, in Rockford, Ill., the one-time home of the red-heeled sock plant that made the socks that folks used to make the monkeys.)

This one sold for $29.99 on Amazon, in conjunction with the Mr. Magorium movie. That’s a lot of money for something you can make yourself from a pair of socks.

Yes, a sock monkey is a monkey made from socks. (Although some pre-fabricated monkeys were likely never socks.)

You can make your own sock monkey. (And you should if you want a really great sock monkey.)

You can buy a kit: 

Or use your own socks and online instructions.

There are many thousands of sock monkeys. You can see wonderful pictures of some of them in this book by Ron Warren and Arne Svenson:

Sock Monkeys: 200 out of 1863

(We love this book!)

Now here is Sock Monkey (note the capital letters.)

There is only one Sock Monkey. He is a sock monkey named Sock Monkey. He stars in a series of picture books by Cece Bell.

Sock Monkey Rides Again: “Kids will giggle, and moms and dads won’t mind reading this tale again and again. And again.” — Entertainment Weekly online, ew.com

Furthermore, he is a famous toy actor, whose latest starring role was “Red Reardon” in The Happy Canyon Hoedown. (see Sock Monkey Rides Again).

Sock Monkey himself has made a sock monkey. That sock monkey was made from argyle socks, likes cupcakes and named himself “Sock Buddy.” (see Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie).

Sock Monkey has three other friends, Miss Bunn, Blue Pig and Froggie who are also free-willed toys. (see Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood).

Of course, these books only feature drawings of Sock Monkey, which I hope are entertaining!

Sock Monkey is indeed a real sock monkey, who lives with me. He is frequently photographed, but his photo is rarely seen online. Though you may find it on this website if you look around a bit…