Research has shown that literacy is an essential stepping stone to long-term academic achievement in science-related fields. Integrating computer science (CS)/computational thinking (CT) with literacy has produced promising results, since CT skills directly complement the types of thinking fostered during evidence-based literacy instruction. Despite these early findings, the potential for English Language Arts (ELA)-related content to enhance CS/CT teaching and learning in K-2nd grades remains underexplored. Given the myriad connections between literacy and CS/CT and the possibilities that books provide to combine the two, the Building Knowledge in Computing through Early Literacy Strategies (BELLS) project will co-design a series of three books, targeted at K-2nd grade children, to teach CS/CT integrated with ELA, with accompanying guides for teachers. These materials will be rigorously tested and the books then refined through a mixed-methods research plan. The BELLS project is a collaboration among the National Girls Collaborative, the Institute for Advancing Computing Education, and Minnesota State University, Mankato. The school-based co-design partners are located in Louisiana's Region 8, a rural area with countless remote communities who often struggle to have basic Internet access. Strong early literacy skills shape future academic success, making this project impactful for student learning. Understanding connections between CS/CT and ELA ensures optimal early learni