Meet the shortlist 2025: Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin

Next up - a corking duo hit our shortlist in the form of Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin for the fantastical, fairytale-inspired Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant.

Craig Barr-Green writes picture books, non-fiction titles and theatre productions for children. He lectures in Children’s Literature at Falmouth University and often performs storytelling shows at festivals. He is a passionate advocate for childrenís literacy and neurodivergent representation. He loves music but sadly cannot play a note. Francis Martin is an illustrator and artist living out in the wilds of Pendle Witch Country, conjuring up pictures for stories by splodging ink and charcoal all over the place. He is a graduate of Cambridge School of Art’s MA in Children’s Book Illustration, who in another life did five BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions. He loves dogs and travelling across the moors in trains.

Craig Barr-Green’s answers:

Who or what do you think Gina Kaminski’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?

Easy. Rosie, from Rosie’s Walk, written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins. Rosie wants a walk, and she has a walk, and the walk is over. No mistakes. Job done. Everything is correct. A perfect story that isn’t spoiled by the silly fox. 

How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?

I get terribly worried about trips – even ones I am looking forward to. This has lived with me since childhood. There are so many things to remember and so many unknowable elements. I wanted to channel this into a school trip story for children. Gina worries about where she will eat her lunch. This is huge! What if it’s somewhere awful? Somewhere cramped where you can smell everyone else’s sandwiches? I could have added lots more here. Where are the toilets? When can you use them? What if the ceilings are so high they might make your stomach feel like it’s falling. What if you get lost? What if you feel ill on the coach (I often get travel sick). These are all legitimate concerns. I also wanted to explore the small items that make us happy, or calmer, or that hold sentimental value (or all three). Lady Wiggles - Gina’s teddy - makes a comeback here. It’s Gina's special thing and it makes her feel calm. I wondered what would happen if she lost her most special item. This led me to the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. A fairy story / folk tale that has been endlessly retold, revised, remixed and reclaimed. I personally think, in the versions I have read, that the Giant gets a bad rap. 

What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?

I am always led by illustration. I massively respect the craft and skill of authors, but I am bewitched by illustrators. How do they do it! It’s magic. It’s…unfathomable!

When I think of picturebooks. I immediately think of the Ahlbergs’ iconic Funny Bones. It’s an instant connection. The beautiful black / white / yellow / red palate will always make me feel giddy with nostalgic happiness. I could say the same for Nicoll and Pienkowski’s transcendentally glorious Meg and Mog books. Meg’s Castle is the one that leaps the highest to my mind. Maybe it’s those block primary colours again… Sam and Dave Dig a Hole is the book I used to read most to my children and I adore it for that. Barnett and Klassen truly capture the comic potential of a picturebook. Ahhhh but what about Donaldson and Cobb’s beautiful and ever so poignant The Paper Dolls? Or Di Giorgio and Zoboli’s wordless, wonderful Professional Crocodile. The illustrations are jaw droppingly exquisite. The clever manipulation of narrative time; the inventive POV of the spreads - much like a Director of Photography lining up a shot in a movie; the delightful and oh so clever ending. What a book! 

What to choose? This is agonising!

It’s Rosie’s Walk. Of course it is. The book is and daring and charming and formally experimental and hilarious and timeless. I would like to read it to Gina Kaminski, for the reasons above.

Francis Martin’s Answers:

Who or what do you think Gina Kaminski’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?

That’s a tricky question, I’m sure that Gina would be a bit miffed if I got it wrong as I’m sure that there are a few characters who might annoy her. So I’ll take a chance on ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ his directness, focus and the inclusion of cake in his food choices would appeal to her.

How did you decide what Gina would look like?

I felt Gina already existed and that I had to match her image out of what was implied in the text. It took a bit drawing, at first, she was too old and too tall. The smaller and younger she got the more her presence and strength grew. Her outfit had to be as iconic as a Batman or a Spider-Man and I knew from the start that she would have freckles. I love it it when I see her looking out of the displays of bookshops. I almost forget that it was me who drew her

What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?

If I could travel back in time and be sitting on the edge of my daughter’s bed at around 7.30 pm reading the lines: ‘In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.’  I would be ecstatic. Ludwig Bemelmans ‘Madeline’ was an utter joy and a great sharing book.