Christine Baker, who has died aged 71 of cancer, did much to give British children’s books a presence in France, making them readily available to families and schools looking for good material to read. For the French publisher Gallimard Jeunesse she learned to spot the best titles to acquire for the French market, promoted cross-Channel collaborations between authors and illustrators, and so became a central figure in children’s publishing in both countries.
On graduation in 1973, Christine worked as a bookseller at L’Artisan du Livre, Paris, before moving to London for a short spell of work experience at the Children’s Book Centre in Kensington.
