Books published by publisher O'Brien Pr

The second book in the Famine Trilogy begun with Under the Hawthorne Tree. At seven, Peggy made a terrifying journey through famine-stricken Ireland. Now thirteen, and determined to make a new life for herself, she sets off alone across the Atlantic to America. Will she ever see her family again? An extraordinary story of courage, independence and adventure

Timothy Finn is a boy with two dreams and a mystery to solve. The notebook that arrives out of the blue on Timothy's birthday changes his life forever. It is a gift from Timothy's father. But who is his father, and why has he suddenly entered Timothy's life? His mother keeps secrets, and Timothy is confused. Then there is the mysterious writer who lives in the woods: does this mystery man hold the answer to Timothy's dreams - to find his father and to become a writer? With the help of his best friend Fleur, Timothy sets out to uncover the riddle of his past. With clues throughout the story that allow the reader to try to solve the mystery of Timothy's origins, this is a beautifully written and memorable adventure story.

A new edition of this acclaimed novel. Meet Neil Byrne - try-scorer on the rugby field, prizewinning student, one of the in-crowd at the disco, regular guy, gay. Presenting one face to the world and burying his true feelings in fantasy, Neil manages to keep his secret. But when fantasy isn't enough and he becomes caught up in the bizarre subculture of Dublin's gay nightlife, the pretense must end. It is the time for truth. The consequences are both hilarious and painful. Told with honesty, humour and originality, When Love Comes to Town brings a new type of hero to modern Irish fiction.

The remarkable story of Jella Lepman, who, having left Germany to escape the Nazi regime in the 1930s, chose to return in the aftermath of the Second World War, as 'Adviser on the Cultural and Educational Needs of Women and Children in the American Zone'. She soon decided that what Germany's war-ravaged children needed was to see a world of the imagination, beyond their landscape of bombed-out buildings and military vehicles. Battling with bureaucracy and meeting with generals and statesmen, including Eleanor Roosevelt, she founded the International Youth Library, filling a huge void in the lives of Germany's children with books from all corners of the world. The IYL included a children's art studio, story- and play-writing classes, readings, foreign language classes, and the foundation of the Young People's United Nations. In 1951 Jella Lepman founded the International Board of Books for Young People, dedicated to promoting international understanding through children's books. This is a story of tireless courage and conviction in the face of desolation and cynicism.