COLORADO – Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy today announced five winning picture books that exemplify the early literacy practices READ, WRITE, TALK, SING, and PLAY. Winners were selected from a 25-title shortlist put forth by the awards committee.
The 2025 CLEL Bell Award Winners are:
READ – When You Love a Book – written by Kaz Windness, illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee, published by Flamingo Books.
WRITE – Between Two Windows – by Keisha Morris, published by HarperCollins.
TALK – Bye Land, Bye Sea – by René Spencer and Rodolfo Montalvo, illustrated by Roaring Book Press.
SING – Adela’s Mariachi Band – written by Denise Vega, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina, published by Charlesbridge.
PLAY – Ahoy! – by Sophie Blackall, published by Anne Schwartz Books.
The CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards are an annual recognition of five high-quality picture books that provide excellent support for early literacy skills for young children. A winner is chosen in each of 5 categories that support early literacy: READ, WRITE, TALK, SING, and PLAY.
- Theme or content related to one of the five early literacy practices: Read, Write, Sing, Talk, or Play
- Distinction or uniqueness in presentation of relevant theme or content
- Supports and/or models parent and caregiver engagement with their children through early literacy practices
- Ability to appeal to parents or caregivers and their young children (ages birth-5) of diverse family situations
- Excellence in writing, illustration, and design
- Excellent book production (quality paper, binding, cover, etc)
- Fiction and nonfiction are eligible.
