It is with heavy hearts that CWILL shares that Norma Charles, one of our longest serving and most cherished members, passed away on August 19 after an illness.
Norma was a talented author and an integral member of the kidlit community in BC and Canada. She served as a membership committee coordinator for CWILL and was ever ready to offer a friendly greeting and a warm smile to our members, old and new. We have all benefitted enormously from her generosity, time, and friendship over the years.
She was not only a leading member of CWILL, but other literary organizations such as The Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable, The Writers’ Union of Canada, the BC Book Prizes, and CANSCAIP.
Her own books, including her latest picture book, The One and Only Question, frequently uplifted social justice causes and showcased her warmth, sincerity, and care. She was a teacher, teacher-librarian, mother to four, and author of 22 books over the past three decades.
She is greatly missed already, and CWILL will be finding ways to commemorate her in the time ahead.
