On May 17, the 17th Annual MainStreet Warner Literacy Day took place at Simonds Elementary School in Warner, keeping the tradition alive despite COVID restrictions requiring a Zoom presentation.
This year’s author-in-residence was Matt Forrest Esenwine, a Warner children’s book author of nationally acclaimed picture books and poetry. He presented his book Don’t Ask a Dinosaur to the kindergarteners and first graders, the just-released Once Upon Another Time to the second and third graders, and Flashlight Night to the school’s fourth and fifth graders. Each child received an autographed copy of the book in advance, with Matt reading to the classes and fielding their questions about the writing process. He presented a compelling narrative to the students of the joy of living a creative life along with the need to maintain perseverance and tenacity, as each book could be 10 years in the making.
This has become an endearing tradition between the non-profit MainStreet Warner, Inc. and the community elementary school. Initiated in 2005, local children’s authors and/or illustrators have visited the children to discuss their work and their motivation. The students receive exposure to excellent writers and artists from the surrounding area, that have demonstrated through their books their impact on the lives and literacy of children across the country. Past authors-in-residence that have visited the students include Steven Kellogg, Maxine Kumin, Barry Moser, Mary Lyn Ray, Jim Arnosky, and Caldecott Award Winner Beth Krommes.
This year’s community partnership between MainStreet Warner, Inc., Simonds Elementary School, and MainStreet BookEnds is made possible through the generous donations of many local families, MainStreet BookEnds, and with additional funding from the Kearsarge School District and the Nancy Sibley Wilkins Town of Warner Trust Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation,