Wil is going to be participating in this year’s ‘Beyond Access Forum’ event, hosted by the New York City Department of Education, as a panelist for the session on ‘Navigating Book Challenges: Insights and Advice from School Librarians and a Children’s Author’. Primary topics will include the rising threat of book banning, against which Wil has spoken out publicly on many occasions. 

He will be joined on the panel by Lindsay Klemas, former high school librarian, who will be discussing her experiences around inclusive displays, collections, and the emotional toll of pushing back on challenges. Also, Patricia Sarles, Library Coordinator and moderator of the session. And finally Melissa Jacobs, Director of Library Services, who will discuss NYC Public Schools Collection Development Policy and Selection Criteria, and why it’s essential to focus on building inclusive collections.

Please note that this is an entirely online event that will take place on Tuesday, November 7^th. It features many other sessions and networking opportunities to aid in professional development. For full details and to register, please use the following link—

https://www.techlearningevents.com/nycbeyondaccess-november2023/home?ref=J23

Wil taped an interview segment last month for PBS’s ‘New Jersey Spotlight News’ on the red-hot topic of banned books. The threat of censorship in our school and public libraries is growing at an alarming rate. National Banned Book Week ran from September 18-24 this year, and PBS contacted Wil for an author’s perspective as part of a larger report on the issue. Also interviewed was New Jersey librarian Martha Hickson, who received the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians earlier this year and has endured considerable challenges of her own where book banning is concerned.

Click on the image below to check out the segment.

For contact, please use general@wilmara.com. All emails are answered within 24 hours.

One of the fastest-growing new series of middle-grade novels, Wil’s ‘Twisted’ books have now begun distributing to more than a dozen nations around the world, including China, Japan, England, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and the Czech Republic. This follows the recent success of two new titles—‘A Pool of Deathly Blue’ and ‘The Other’—to add to the original five that launched the series shortly before the Covid pandemic. More ‘Twisted’ stories will be releasing later this year, including ‘The Mystery of Locker 24’, which was announced a short time ago.

The ‘Twisted’ books have already become a staple among library collections, noted for their ‘Twilight Zone’-esque storylines, real-world themes, fully formed characters, and particular appeal among reluctant readers. The Junior Library Guild made the second title, ‘House of a Million Rooms’, one of their Main Selection Picks while also giving it their Gold Standard Award for middle-grade fiction writing. The latest title, ‘The Other’, received a superb review in ‘Booklist’, and the series as a whole has received ringing endorsements from librarians all across the United States, including one from American Library Association president emeritus Betty Turock.

To order titles direct from the publisher—

http://www.enslow.com/series/twisted

For contact, please use general@wilmara.com. All emails are answered within 24 hours.