The four Warwick elementary schools recently participated in the One Book One School One Community reading program for the seventh year in a row. The effort puts an engaging story into the hands of 2,000 students and their families.

Barbara Mobley, executive director of the Warwick Education Foundation (WEF), which funded the program, reported that this year's choice, "The Water Horse," by British author Dick King-Smith was made by Warwick teachers Colleen Heckman, Heather Bellows, Will Maza, Kathy Steinour, and Emily Craig. King-Smith is known for his book "The Sheep-Pig," which in 1995 became the Oscar-winning movie "Babe."

"The Water Horse" follows a Scottish brother and sister who find an egg on the beach and bring it home to hatch. Teachers prepared trivia quizzes and other activities to inspire class discussion and reinforce comprehension.

Mobley shared that the One Book program may affect a student's future reading choices. "We know that students don't just discover books they love," she said. "They discover authors they love." Mobley noted that the authors who often become favorites are those who write books that include characters students can relate to as well as stretch the imagination. "They ask for more books by the same writer," Mobley stated, pointing out that one sixth-grade student enjoyed a writer so much, she read more than 40 of his books.

Over the past two decades, WEF has donated more than $2.3 million to enrich Warwick school offerings and invest in the future of the community. More information about the organization may be found at http://www.WarwickEF.com.