Never Forget Eleanor

by Andy Gallegos, Early Literacy Librarian at Arapahoe Libraries, 2024 CLEL Bells Committee Member The CLEL Bell Awards have been given to children’s picture books since 2013. These awarded books are determined through the meticulous scrutiny of the CLEL Bell Committee. With so many amazing picture books that get published every year, this can be …

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Learning through conversation with Brain Quest board books

By Alison Loewen, Librarian at Mead Public Library in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and member of 2024 CLEL Bell Awards Selection Committee I recently attended the annual American Library Association conference in Chicago. The event is a whirlwind of educational presentations and an exhibit hall filled with authors and illustrators, product vendors, universities, publishers, and others sharing …

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World Forum Sheds Light on Children’s Advocacy

Q&A with Melanie Borski-Howard, 2024 CLEL Bell Awards Committee Chair and Youth Services Specialist at Boulder Public Library, and Andrea Cleland, Early Literacy Librarian at Loveland Public Library In May 2023, Melanie Borski-Howard and Andrea Cleland, two stellar children’s librarians in Colorado, had the opportunity to present their “Let the Children March” presentation at the …

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Using CLEL Bell Titles in Storytime

by Karen Walker, Kids and Families Core Service Librarian, Jefferson County Public Library, Colorado, member of the 2024 CLEL Bell Awards committee “Have any of you been camping? ¿Alguien ha ido a acampar?” That was the question Rodney the Rat with his little backpack asked the kids at storytimes in May at one of my …

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How a CLEL Bell Award is Won

by Maureen Quinlan, 2024 CLEL Bell Awards Co-Chair Ever wonder how a CLEL Bell book goes from publication to winning the award? Here is the step-by-step process of how readers, books, and librarians all fit into the CLEL Bells puzzle. For a more in-depth analysis of our committee work, read on.  Book award committee work …

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