What’s with all this tracing in board books? By: Cora Astin Have you ever read a board book and noticed the raised or textured objects that little ones can trace with their fingers? Those elements aren’t randomly placed there by accident! They are actually designed to help support early pre-reading and pre-writing skills. As littles …
Por: Vanessa Sandoval ¡Hola! Soy Vanessa. El año pasado fue mi primera vez formando parte del comité Spanish CLEL Bell, y fue una experiencia verdaderamente increíble. No solo fue un honor participar, sino que también me inspiró a aportar nueva creatividad a mi propio programa de Hora de Cuentos en español. Presento mi Cuéntame Cuentos …
By: Vanessa Sandoval Last year was my first time being part the Spanish CLEL Bell committee, and it was truly an incredible experience. Not only was it an honor to participate, but it also inspired me to bring fresh creativity into my own Spanish Storytimes. I have my weekly Cuéntame Cuentos Spanish Storytime for Westminster …
por: Kate Fitzpatrick He formado parte de los comités de Premios CLEL y Premios CLEL en español durante los últimos 3 años. Una de mis partes favoritas de formar parte del comité es escuchar sobre libros infantiles excelentes y compartirlos con otros bibliotecarios. Organizo una hora de cuentos bilingüe semanal en la Biblioteca Pública de …
By: Kate Fitzpatrick I’ve been on the CLEL Bells or Spanish CLEL Bells committees for the past 3 years. One of my favorite parts of being on the committee is hearing about and sharing great children’s books with other library folks. I do a weekly bilingual storytime at Longmont Public Library along with frequent visits …
We are pleased to announce the shortlist titles for the annual English CLEL Bell Awards. Now in its 12th year, the English CLEL Bell Awards are an annual recognition of five high-quality children’s books that provide excellent support of early literacy development in children ages 0-5. The 2026 year features a diverse array of titles …
By: Alexa Bynum Soto Have you ever wondered what being part of an award committee is like? Curious about applying for the Bells next year and want to know what to expect? Read on to learn what life on the committee looks like! When you are selected as a member of the CLEL Bell Award …
By: Justine Ferrara Do you want to incorporate CLEL Bell books into your storytimes? Are you looking for some caregiver tips, rhymes, songs, and activities to freshen up an existing storytime? Read on for some ideas to plan and execute an engaging storytime all about talking! CLEL Bell Award Winners, Shortlisters, and Nominees perfect for …
COLORADO – 17 de octubre de 2025: Las Bibliotecas de Colorado para la Alfabetización Temprana (CLEL) anunciaron los cinco libros ilustrados ganadores que ejemplifican las prácticas de alfabetización temprana: LEER, ESCRIBIR, HABLAR, CANTAR y JUGAR. Los ganadores fueron seleccionados de una lista de 25 títulos preseleccionada por el comité de premios.October 17, 2025: Colorado Libraries …
Books for Babies By Michelle Ballard, Springfield-Greene County Library District I get asked: Why should I read to my baby? The answer is more complex than one might think. Reading to a baby creates a stronger bond between the baby and the reader. The baby is gaining vocabulary knowledge, learning how to handle a book, …
