Since September last year youth of Moree have spent their days reading to an unusually large and mysterious egg.
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Found near the Mehi River by Paint the Town REaD, the egg was placed in the safe hands of Moree East Public School’s Mainly Music play group.
Since then, the egg has made its way through all of the preschools in Moree and surrounds being nurtured by local children, who’ve found the trick to settling the egg- a good book.
The mysterious egg created a partnership between MEPS and Paint Moree REaD who now believe it could hatch any week now.
In the school holidays the egg was looked after by Moree library staff and then visited Good Start Early Learning, Moree Preschool, Kiah Preschool, Gwydir Preschool, Grace Lutheran and Boggabilla Preschool.
The egg’s due date is set on June 16 around 10am at the library and all children who’ve read to the egg are invited to be there to witness the hatching.
Schools as Community Centre facilitator Peony Daniels said the number one question local children have been asking is ‘what’s in the egg?’.
Some have suggested a dinosaur, some think it may be a baby dragon. All of the participating preschools have stuck drawings and written stories of what the children believe it to be.
- Peony Daniels
“Some have suggested a dinosaur, some think it may be a baby dragon. All of the participating preschools have stuck drawings and written stories of what the children believe it to be,” she said.
Now FM’s Jess Scully visited MEPS Kindergarten students on Tuesday to read one last book to the huge egg before it hatches.
She, along with KA, was very excited to read a book chosen by students. There were many giggles and suspenseful moments as Jess read to the egg.
Peony said the egg’s hatching was only the beginning for Paint Moree REaD.
“Paint the Town REaD encourages early childhood literacy and the only way children can help the egg grow is by reading, talking, singing and dancing to it,” she said.
Whatever hatches out of the egg will be sticking around town, visiting community events and encouraging the whole community to read, sing, talk and rhyme.
Paint Moree REaD also received a Commonwealth Bank grant last year to deliver book packs to the maternity ward for new mothers and their babies.
Organisers are preparing to make another special delivery in the coming months.
“The pack has a soft and hard book and a pamphlet on the benefits of reading and singing to newborns.”