Author Archives: Melissa

I am super excited to be serving as a Featured Ninja at Storytime Underground this month! My co-ninjas are Emily and Ingrid and we’ve already answered a couple questions, so head over to Storytime Underground to add your great advice … Continue reading →

I’ve been writing about saying no lately, which is a discipline that has been kind of necessary for me to work on over the last couple of years. But before I move on to other topics I want to spend … Continue reading →

Three years ago, I created a pattern for a set of train cars that I have used over and over ever since. Last year, I learned a new-to-me song in a Cen Campbell webinar that goes great with these pieces, … Continue reading →

As I have been forging along on my saying-no journey frankly I have received some absolutist advice and feedback: I should just be saying no flat-out, and if I wasn’t saying no quickly and completely I wasn’t REALLY saying no. … Continue reading →

If April Fool’s Day drives you up the wall, here is one post that is 100% no tricks! I love to bake and for the last few conferences I’ve attended I have brought cookies with me to share with friends … Continue reading →

Earlier this week I talked about what I’ve learned about saying no over my two-year-ish project to reduce my professional responsibilities and my stress. Now, there are books and books and blogs and blogs about saying no, and so here’s … Continue reading →

The past couple (few) (several) years have been, excitingly and exhaustively, very full of professional commitments and opportunities for me. I have been very lucky and have worked very hard and am overall proud of what I’ve accomplished. I have … Continue reading →

This is part two of an answer to Elizabeth, who asked, Do you have a format that you follow for laying out your storytime to have everything at hand? I’ve been struggling with this aspect–I want to have everything right … Continue reading →

Here’s a recent question from Elizabeth and, fair warning, my rather long-winded part-one of an answer: Do you have a format that you follow for laying out your storytime to have everything at hand? I’ve been struggling with this aspect–I … Continue reading →

I have started to brush down the cobwebs from Mel’s Desk, and in the process of going through old posts found the following question-and-answer that took place in January in the comments of one of my baby storytime plans. It’s … Continue reading →