Canadian author Budge Wilson, who was best known as a children's author but wrote more than 30 books for all ages, died March 19, CBC News reported. She was 93. A mentor to many Nova Scotia writers, and good friend of fellow Canadian literary icon Margaret Laurence, Wilson was a member of the Order of Canada and Order of Nova Scotia.
"She isn't entirely gone," said Andrea Wilson, her daughter. "She's left a legacy through her writing, and through the people she's inspired."
Her books include The Leaving, an award-winning collection of short stories; The Best/Worst Christmas Present; Lorinda's Diary and Thirteen Never Changes. After Swissair, Wilson's first book of poetry, was about the Swissair crash of 1998, and children's author Jill MacLean said the collection was very important to Wilson, whose former home overlooked the waters where the plane went down.
One of her recent works, Before Green Gables, is a prequel to L.M. Montgomery's famous book series. The L.M. Montgomery Institute tweeted: "Today we remember our friend, Budge Wilson, who died last week. Wilson's novel, Before Green Gables, was a big part of the 2008 Biennial Conference, 100 Years of Anne.... She will be missed."
"The world shines brighter because of Budge's generosity of spirit and her child-like curiosity, both of which played a pivotal role in her writing," Carol McDougall, author and board member of the Canadian Children's Book Centre, told Quill & Quire. "She was a long-time friend of the CCBC, touring as a part of Canadian Children's Book Week in 1989, 1991, and 2002. One of Canada's greatest literary treasures, Budge's stories always captured the complexity of the human spirit.... A true pioneer for Canadian children's writers, she helped pave the way for other writers and put Canadian stories on the world stage."