An unexpected surprise awaits the children and families who show up for Storytime with Mel at the Fernandina Beach Branch Library! Mel and Gunner (Her Boxer Puppy Friend) lead their friends on an exciting adventure exploring Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach, Florida, on a quest to find Colorful Eggs. This is the first of many Adventures with Mel!
My Action/Song Picture Book What an adventure. This fun activity, created by Michelle E. Forde, has parents, relatives and friends, sing and act out, her picture book as she leads them on an Egg-Venture downtown Fernandina Beach to find colorful egg
The story was written by Michelle Forde, Youth Services Program Coordinator with the Nassau County Public Library System. She wrote a fun song for her story, that would help teach and enhance fine motor skills, listening skills, sequencing skills, following directions, sharing, colors, counting, rhythm, rhyming, opposites, and overall literacy and vocabulary skills. Her goal and desire is to lead children and caregivers on an exciting adventure creating a new learning experience at each Storytime. Michelle's Going on an Egg Hunt and Egg-Venture with Mel, actions and song was an instant hit with the children, and her Parent/Caregivers loved it. They wanted her to sing it every week. She purchased Egg Shakers to add actions to the story and gave them to the children who came to see the show. As they all sung along, an assortment of colorful eggs hid in Michelle's pocket. At the right moment, she would pull out a colorful egg and shake it. The song and actions ended, with everyone holding up their eggs, and shaking them high in the air "These are all of the colorful eggs we found" By popular demand, and the encouragement of her parents, caregivers, and the children who so loved this story/sing-along, Michelle now offers Going on an Egg Hunt as a book.
Michelle is a Youth Services Program Coordinator/Librarian who has been inspired to write children's books through her 18 years of Sing- Along Storytimes . Michelle presents acclaimed Early Literacy / Elementary Interactive Storytimes, STEAM Programs, and Summer Reading Programs which create and instill a lifelong love of reading and learning to daycares, pre-schools, elementary schools. She also provides educational literacy workshops to educational groups and professional groups. Michelle also enjoys providing special events for the Senior Living Facilities in Nassau and Duval Counties. Michelle has two children who are now adults, daughter, Crystal Forde, and son, Heath Forde, who serves in the United States Army as a 1st Lt. Officer. Michelle resides in Fernandina Beach, Florida with her spouse of 34 years, Randy Forde. They enjoy being in the mountains whenever possible lounging beside the riverbank reading, writing children's books, walking and riding their bicycles on the Amelia Island bike trails.
