CWILL’s beloved and long-time member, Irene Watts, passed away on November 21, 2023, at the age of 92 years old. As an educator, dramatist, and writer, she was an important voice in Canadian’s children’s literature.  Irene was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1931. When she was a child, her grandfather gave her a puppet theatre, a gift that she credits for sparking her creative life. At the age of seven, she went to England on the Kindertransport to escape Nazi Germany. She immigrated to Canada in 1968 with her husband and children. In Canada, Irene became a teacher and worked in theatre for ..read more

BC author Danielle S. Marcotte will be reading from her new book, Blue Camas, Blue Camas, at Black Bond books on Sunday, November 19th at 1pm in Ladner. All are welcome! The first thirty customers who purchase the book will receive a free copy of Danielle’s previous book, This Airplane Can Dance ..read more

Claire Lordon is launching her new graphic novel memoir One in a Million. Her medical misfortunes may be one in a million in this relatable memoir, but so is her determination, grit, and passion to beat the odds and reclaim her life. Join Claire at: Iron Dog Books 2371 East Hastings Street Vancouver October 11th at 7pm ..read more

The Children’s Writers & Illustrators of BC are excited to partner with our friends at Word Vancouver to offer tons of family-friendly offerings this year! We welcome kids, teens, families, lovers of kid-lit of all ages, students and young/emerging writers and artists to connect, learn, celebrate, and read local with us this fall at Word Vancouver Festival of Readers & Writers. Join 35+ local authors & illustrators across TWO(+) days for THREE kinds of kid-lit fun: Festival Programming: author & illustrator presentations, panels, performances & more! Drop-In Fun: local aut ..read more

Special thanks to the BC Museums Association for the opportunity to connect with their members and share ideas, inspiration, and opportunities for collaborating with BC children’s authors and illustrators on June 7! (We were also incredibly impressed with their well-organized professional development and continuing education resources for their members and webinar mastery—a true inspiration!) Missed the live version? You can watch the full replay on their site or below: Looking for ways to serve and engage kids and families more deeply, frequently, and creatively? This fast-paced and eng ..read more

Here at CWILL, we get a lot of questions about getting published, which is one of the reasons we host an annual panel event with the Vancouver Public Library—we’ll give you the insider perspective! So don’t hesitate, sign up now to join six of our authors and illustrators for an online discussion on how they broke into this exciting and competitive field.  When: March 14, 2023, 7:00pm-8:30pm Where: Online event Ask questions and get practical information on topics such as: How to improve your writing How to find a publisher and submit your work What agents do What to look for in a book ..read more

Our members (and their publishers!) have been hard at work this year. We’re proud to see over 50 titles (including a solid collection of sweet-and-spooky Halloween-ready books!) by BC authors and illustrators published across all juvenile age ranges and categories. Looking to add more quality kidlit to your shelves? Browse & Shop 2022 Releases on Pinterest Search, Sort & Shop 2022 Releases in Google Sheets ..read more

One of our members, Karen Autio, is launching her picture book I Can, Too! and its French translation Moi aussi, je peux! in person along with Loraine Kemp who is launching her middle grade novel Luna, her first book as both author and illustrator!  They will be sharing their stories behind the books in the newly renovated children’s area in Kelowna’s Mission Branch Library. Once Upon a Bookstore will be handling book sales onsite. Activities for Kids | Prizes | Readings Simultaneously Interpreted in ASL | Autographed Books for Sale For more information, check out the event page on Faceb ..read more

We’re having a busy fall here at CWILL BC! If you missed Word Vancouver Festival, not to worry, there are plenty more awesome events coming up: Paper Covers Rock Festival, Saltspring Island Join Jenn Wint for a free, drop-in children’s storytime on Saturday, October 1 from 10-10:30 am at Salty Pear Gallery. Visit the festival website for the full lineup. Decidedly Different, Completely Himself: the Legacy of Glenn Gould with Nancy Vo and Sarah Ellis: 10:15 am, Tuesday, October 18 at The NEST and online World-famous classical musician Glenn Gould loved playing the piano, and gave concerts al ..read more

CWILL BC is excited to be participating in the Word Vancouver festival. Many of our members are appearing in events or as part of panels—in addition, we are leading several kid-focused events on Saturday, September 24 at the Surrey City Centre Library. 10am-12 noon Join award-winning author-illustrator Paola Opal for an adorably spooky craft for ages 3+. 12 noon-2pm Picture book author Jane Wittingham is leading a fun, mixed-media craft celebrating her newest book THE LANGUAGE OF TREES.  2-4pm Join author Rhiannon Wallace for elementary-age drop-in activities. Stick around for mor ..read more