Launched in 2005, MainStreet Warner’s Literacy Project aims to help elementary school students become more accomplished and appreciative readers. Not only does the Literacy Project encourage children to read, it also gives students the opportunity to meet distinguished authors and illustrators. Every year, MSW invites a children’s author and/or illustrator from New England to visit Simond’s Elementary School. The authors and artists share stories about their lives and interesting details about their craft, and students have the chance to ask the luminaries questions before receiving their own autographed copy of the author’s featured book.

For its 21st Literacy Day, MSW invited award-winning author and illustrator Brian Lies to speak with Simond’s Elementary School students. Brian quickly engaged students by asking them to complete the statement: “Practice makes…?” Thinking they knew the answer for sure, students shouted, “Perfect!” To their surprise, Brian responded by saying no one is perfect. Instead, he emphasized, “Practice makes better!” To illustrate his point, Brian shared numerous drafts of his stories and drawings, each one a little better. He even let students see a storyboard he created as a 2nd grader to show that hard work and practice are more essential for success than inborn talent. After demonstrating a quick character sketch, Brian handed out a signed copy of one of his books to each student. Kindergarten and 1st Graders received Little Bat in Night School. 2nd and 3rd graders received Bats at the Beach, and 4th and 5th graders received The Rough Patch, a Caldecott Honoree.

Generous donations from the Simonds PTO, the Kearsarge Regional School District, the Nancy Sibley Wilkins Town of Warner Trust Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and MainStreet BookEnds contribute to making this memorable event for students possible.