Martin Baynton

{{Short description|British writer}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

Martin Baynton is a British author, illustrator, and TV producer now living in New Zealand. His children's book Jane and the Dragon (1988), has become a modern classic which has since been adapted for television and produced by Weta Workshop and Nelvana. His books have been widely published in the UK, US, Spain, France, New Zealand and Australia. Baynton has also illustrated books by other leading writers including Russell Hoban and Kenneth Grahame.

In addition to writing and illustrating children's books, Baynton has been a producer, writer and director for the stage, TV and radio. He is the creator of three internationally acclaimed pre-school shows: The WotWots, the Kiddets and The Book Hungry Bears. In 2002 he teamed up with Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop to create and produce children's television. They created the award-winning Jane and the Dragon (based on Baynton's book series of the same name.){{Cite web |title=DragonBlade – A Jane and the Dragon novel by Martin Baynton |url=https://janeandherdragon.com/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Jane and the Dragon |language=en}}

Baynton and Taylor are founding partners and owners of Pukeko Pictures a New Zealand-based IP development company creating children and family entertainment properties.{{Cite web |title=People |url=https://pukekopictures.com/people/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Pukeko Pictures |language=en-US}}

In 2022, Baynton released the first book in his Taking Wonderland series, a trilogy of fantasy novels about a modern Alice decoding the original Victorian books.{{Cite web |title=Read Sample |url=https://takingwonderland.com/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Taking Wonderland |language=en}}

Early life

Born in Wandsworth, London in 1953, the second of three children his childhood and schooling was spent in London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Herefordshire.{{Cite web |title=Interview with Martin Baynton |url=https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/new-zealand-childrens-authors/martin-baynton |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=my.christchurchcitylibraries.com |language=en-NZ}}

Educated at Holtspur Primary School, Hereford Cathedral Prep School, Ledbury Grammar School, Hereford College of Art, the Institute Of Child Health, London University and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Before focusing on a career in children's books, he qualified as an electrophysiologist and worked at St Bartholomew's Hospital in the medical electronics unit where he helped to develop biofeedback technology with the biofeedback pioneer Dr Ann Wooley-Hart.

Martin travelled extensively in the 1970's hitch hiking through North and Central America, Europe and the Middle East. He was an activist in the anti-nuclear movement in the UK and an early member of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

Baynton moved to New Zealand in 1987 with his wife Diane and his children, Theo and Terri.

Bibliography

Martin is a writer and illustrator of many books, and anthologies.{{cite web|url=http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/bayntonmartin.html|title=- New Zealand Book Council|website=Bookcouncil.org.nz|accessdate=10 September 2017}}

class="wikitable sortable"
TitleRoleYearNotes
Jane and the Dragonwriter & illustrator1988inspired Jane and the Dragon (TV series)
Jane and the Magicianwriter & illustrator2000A Jane and the Dragon series book
The Dragon's Purposewriter & illustrator1989A Jane and the Dragon series book
Daniel's Dinosaursillustrator1991Written by Mary Carmine{{cite web|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/6136656|title=Daniel's Dinosaurs|first=Mary|last=Carmine|date=10 September 1993|publisher=Scholastic Paperbacks|accessdate=10 September 2017}}
Fifty Saves His Friendwriter & illustrator1985Published exclusively for J Sainsbury plc inside cover of book
Fifty and the Foxwriter & illustrator1986
Fifty and the Great Racewriter & illustrator1986
Fifty Gets the Picturewriter & illustrator1986
Fifty's Christmaswriter & illustrator1987
Why Do You Love Me?writer & illustrator1990
Baby Floatswriter & illustrator1991
Under The Hillwriter & illustrator1996
Little Red Riding Hoodillustrator1982Written by Brothers Grimm
Goldilocks and the Three Bearsillustrator1982Written by Brothers Grimm
Hansel and Gretelillustrator1982Written by Brothers Grimm
The Three Little Pigsillustrator1982Written by Brothers Grimm
Big John Turkleillustrator1983Written by Russell Hoban
Jim Frogillustrator1983Written by Russell Hoban
Charlie Meadowsillustrator1984Written by Russell Hoban
Lavinia Batillustrator1984Written by Russell Hoban
Mousewingillustrator1987Written by William Mayne
Welcome to the Wonderful World of The WotWotswriter & illustrator2009From The WotWots TV series
Three's a Crowdwriter & illustrator2008A Jane and the Dragon series book
A Dragon's Tailwriter & illustrator2008A Jane and the Dragon series book
Wind in the Willowsillustrator1995Written by Kenneth Grahame
Up and Downwriter & illustrator2009From The WotWots TV series
Over and Underwriter & illustrator2009From The WotWots TV series
Fast and Slowwriter & illustrator2009From The WotWots TV series
Out and Inwriter & illustrator2009From The WotWots TV series
[https://janeandherdragon.com Dragonblade]

|writer & illustrator

|2022{{Cite web |title=Chapters |url=https://janeandherdragon.com/chapters |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Dragonblade |language=en}}

|A Jane and the Dragon novel by Martin Baynton

References

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