Q&A with author, Kristin Martin!

Banjo Frog's Concert Spectacular by Kristin Martin & Bianca Richardson

Kristin Martin, illustrated by Bianca Richardson!

Kristin Martin is a South Australian picture book author, short story writer, poet, teacher and nature photographer! Her debut picture book Banjo Frog's Concert Spectacular (the first in the new Easter Bilby's Friends series) was published February 2024 by Wakefield Press. 

Kristin's children's poetry collection To Rhyme Or Not To Rhyme? was published by Glimmer Press. 

Visit Kristin's website at kristinmartin.net/  to find out more about her work and to find where to buy copies of her books! 

1. Thanks for stopping by my blog, Kristin! Your new, debut picture book is 'Banjo Frog's Spectacular Easter', illustrated by Bianca Richardson and published by Wakefield Press. Can you please share how this story originated  and what was your process of writing it from manuscript to published book? 
 
‘Banjo Frog’s Concert Spectacular’ is the first in the Easter Bilby’s Friends series, which aims to educate children and their families about the damage introduced wild rabbits cause to the native animals and plants, and what they can do to help.

The Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia commissioned me to write it. They told me the message they wanted to get across in the book as well as the characters and the setting. It was up to me to find the story that would include all of these.
Once I wrote it, and edited it, I sent it to the Foundation to fact check.

Then Bianca Richardson illustrated the story. It was wonderful working with her, as she brought such life to the characters and added things that made the book so much better than I’d imagined. We communicated regularly throughout the process so it was quite collaborative.
 
2. You are also a poet with a passion for writing and teaching poetry and rhyme, like in your collection 'To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?'. Where does your appreciation of poetry come from? And what qualities do you think, as a writer and a reader, make for a great poem? 
 
My appreciation of poetry came from my childhood. I loved reading AA Milne’s poetry books, and my year 5 teacher introduced a different poem to our class each week. My dad also challenged my siblings and I to learn a poem off by heart. I learnt ‘Mulga Bill’s Bicycle’ by Banjo Patterson.

I like poems that rhyme and have a good rhythm, and also have clever similes and/or metaphors, or personification. And I am rather fond of alliteration. And last of all, I think a good poem has something unexpected in it.
 
3. You are a nature photographer and I have seen your love of green frogs ! You're also a teacher. I'm curious how your work with nature and your work with children informs, or even helps, your writing, in any way?
 
We are told to write what we know, so I couldn’t write without spending time in nature. Pretty much all of my children’s poems are about nature, including about my pets, or things I’ve seen in my garden or while on walks.
Though I’ve yet to write a poem about my pet green tree frogs. I should do that soon!
Working with children gives me endless inspiration as well.
 
4. It seems there will be more stories in the Easter Bilby's Friends series after Banjo Frog's Concert Spectacular. Can you share anything about what will come next for you? 
 
I have finished writing the next book in the Easter Bilby’s Friends series and Bianca has started the illustrations. It will be out in time for Easter 2025.
I also have two picture books with MidnightSun Publishing. The first will be out in June 2025.
I’m not happy unless I have something to write, so I have just started working on a middle grade novel. I am having fun writing it but I’ve no idea if it will ever get published. Sometimes that isn’t important.
 
5. And a fun question for last, to make you really think! If you could put any 3 Aussie picture books in a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years, to give future generations the best understanding of Australia's incredible children's literature, which 3 books would you choose and why?
 
This is such a difficult question! How could I possibly choose only 3 books?
There are so many wonderful Australian children’s books. One would have to be ‘Are We There Yet?’ by Alison Lester, because it shows so much of Australia. I would like to include ‘The Lost Thing’ by Shaun Tan, because I adore that book, but I’m not sure if that would give future generations a good understanding of children’s literature as it is so strange. But that’s what makes it great.
Pamela Allen is one of my favourite early childhood authors. Maybe her book ‘The Pear in the Pear Tree,’ because it has great rhyme and onomatopoeia.
​Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s ‘Diary of a Wombat’ is another great picture book with gorgeous humour and illustrations.