We are pleased to announce the shortlist titles for the 10th annual CLEL Bell Awards. The 2024 year was historic in its submissions, committee involvement, and display of diversity. The way the award has evolved in the past 10 years speaks to how early literacy librarians have a voice in ensuring all our patrons are being reflected in the books we put on our shelves.
This shortlist of 25 titles, five for each early literacy practice – READ, WRITE, TALK, PLAY, and SING – was chosen from 91 nominations put forward by our committee.
We encourage librarians, caregivers, and all picture book lovers to vote on their favorites here until January 30, 2024. The winners will be announced in early February.
The Shortlist titles are:
READ
- Benita and the Night Creatures — By Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Cocoretto — September 5, 2023 — Barefoot Books
- Once Upon a Book — By Grace Lin and Kate Messner — February 7, 2023 — Little Brown and Company
- Sam with Ants in His Pants — By April Reynolds, illustrated by Katie Kordesh — June 20, 2023 — Anne Schwartz Books
- This is the First Book I Will Read to You — By Francesco Sedita, illustrated by Magenta Fox — May 2, 2023 — Viking Books for Young Readers
- This is a Story — By John Schu, illustrated by Lauren Castillo — March 14, 2023 — Candlewick
WRITE
- From Here to There: A First Book of Maps — By Vivian French and Ya-Ling Huang — May 16, 2023 — Candlewick Press
- A Garden in My Hands — By Meera Sriram, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat — April 18, 2023 — Knopf Books for Young Readers
- The Nature Journal: A Backyard Adventure — By Savannah Allen — May 2, 2023 — Viking Books for Young Readers
- Scroll — By Hui Li — September 19, 2023 — Christy Ottaviano Books (Little, Brown and Company)
- The Wheels on the Bus: Touch and Trace Nursery Rhymes — Illustrated by Emily Bannister — August 1, 2023 — Silver Dolphin Books
TALK
- A Day with No Words — By Tiffany Hammond, illustrated by Kate Cosgrove — May 9, 2023 — Wheat Penny Press
- I Love You Mucho Mucho — By Rachel Más Davidson — September 5, 2023 — Beaming Books
- Mama Shamsi at the Bazaar — By Mojdeh Hassani, Samira Iravani, illustrated by Maya Fidawi — February 28, 2023 — Dial Books
- More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean — By Roz Maclean — September 5, 2023 — Henry Holt and Co.
- My First Learn-to-Talk Book: Things that Go — By Stephanie Cohen, illustrated by Lindsay Dale-Scott — December 6, 2022 — Sourcebooks Explore
PLAY
- Bath Time Physics — By Jill Esbaum — May 2, 2023 — MIT Kids Press
- The Fairest in the Land — By Author: Leslea Newman, illustrated by Joshua Heinsz — May 2, 2023 — Harry N. Abrams
- Let’s Go Puddling! — By Emma Perry, illustrated by Claire Alexander — April 25, 2023 — Candlewick
- Quiet Time with My Seeya — By Dinale Dabarera — March 7, 2023 — Roaring Book Press
- You Are a Raccoon! — By Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Jay Fleck — April 11, 2023 — Dial Books
SING
- ¡1, 2, 3 Merengue! — By Delia Ruiz and Graziela Andrade — September 5, 2023 — Soaring Kites Books
- If Mama Sings — By Laura Wittner, illustrated by Maricel R. Clark — July 25, 2023 — Crocodile Books
- Music is in Everything — By Ziggy Marley, illustrated by Ag Jatkowska — December 22, 222 — Akashic Books
- Sugar Pie Lullaby: The Soul of Motown in a Song of Love — By Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud — February 7, 2023 — Sourcebooks eXplore
- We Belong to the Drum — By Sandra Lamouche, illustrated by Azby Whitecalf — May 16, 2023 — Orca Book Publishers
