Reviews

Jamaica’s Find (1986)
By Juanita Havill (Houghton Mifflin, Co.)

A Reading Rainbow selection

read on “Mrs. Bush’s Storytime”

“O’Brien’s watercolors are warm and appealing. Although no attention is called to the fact that Jamaica is black, the book’s depiction of a happy black family will provide a valuable role model for children of all ages.”

— Publishers Weekly, May 30, 1986

“O’Brien’s watercolor paintings have a muted look and Jamaica’s expressive face is full of the kind of honest emotion that draws the onlooker right into the events.”

— Booklist, April 1, 1986

“Watercolor illustrations, clean in composition and large scale, show the very attractive members of a black family.”

— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, May 1986

Jamaica Tagalong (1989)

Pick of the Lists, American Bookseller

Read on “Mrs. Bush’s Storytime”

“Action and emotional drama are played out expressively in O’Brien’s watercolor paintings. The use of multiethnic characters in the illustrations reflects the universality of the book’s theme.”

— Phyllis Wilson, Booklist, June 1, 1989

“O’Brien’s watercolors are extraordinarily lifelike and tender. She has a rare gift for capturing the many nuances of expression; her illustrations lend an extra dimension of compassion to the story.”

— Publishers Weekly, February 24, 1989

“The scenario is realistic and the black and Hispanic cast, portrayed in friendly, effective watercolors, will win the attention of young listeners, who may remember the appealing main character from Jamaica’s Find.”

— Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books, May 1989

Jamaica and Brianna (1993)

Pick of the Lists, American Bookseller

“The perceptive story is illustrated with O’Brien’s soft, lifelike watercolors that capture the girls’ emotions with posture and detail of expression: Jamaica’s face glows when she shows off her new boots; Brianna’s shoulders droop at her disappointment at having ‘ugly old boots.’ The text and illustrations work together to create a portrait of a warm family, ethnically diverse school, and close friendship between two girls.”

— Horn Book, Nov/Dec, 1993

“Without a hint of didacticism, words and pictures show how jealousy and uncertainty make the friends mean to each other - until they see the hurt they’ve caused , and they make up. Jamaica is African American, Brianna is Asian American, the setting is suburban, and kids everywhere will recognize the put-downs and the affection. Realistic watercolor paintings, cheerful and tender, show the snowy outdoors, the crowd at the bus stop, the warm interiors of Jamaica’s home, the cheerful bustle of the shoe store, and the busy school coatroom, where the quarrel is resolved and the boots are lined up together.”

— Hazel Rochman, Booklist, October 15, 1993

“The simple, direct prose finds its complement in O’Brien’s cozy, realistic watercolors. The pictures of Jamaica and Brianna are convincing; an additional pleasure are the vividly rendered bit players (Jamaica’s classmates and family) who grace the background of nearly every page.”

— Publishers Weekly, July 26, 1993

“O’Brien’s wonderful watercolor paintings complement the simple text, showing children of many cultures and warmth and joy.”

— American Bookseller

Jamaica’s Blue Marker (1995)

Best Books for Children, 6th edition

“O'Brien's full-page watercolor illustrations feature a multiethnic classroom and beautifully reflect the expressions and moods of the main characters.”

— School Library Journal, January 1996

“The sensitive story and realistic watercolor pictures show Jamaica's strong feelings and how they change. We see her at home with her warm African American family and in her classroom with her teacher and the other kids. Then in a climactic double-page spread, Jamaica and Russell look at each other and talk and say good-bye.”

— Hazel Rochman, Booklist, 1995

Jamaica and the Substitute Teacher (1999)

Parents’ Choice Recommended Book 1999

“The softly colored pastel drawings show Jamaica, her range of emotions, appealing classmates, and the teacher's kindly nature.”

— Kirkus Reviews, 1999

“The full-color artwork depicts a modern classroom with a diverse student body. O'Brien focuses her attention and detail on the two main characters, bringing them visually to the front of the illustrations. A delightful story with a gentle message.”

— School Library Journal

Brianna, Jamaica and the Dance of Spring (2002)

“The latest Brianna and Jamaica picture book is as warm and realistic as the others, hopeful despite failure and disappointment and rooted in a diverse neighborhood... Many children will relate to the dreams of stardom and the rivalry between the sisters, and O'Brien's watercolor-and-pastel illustrations capture the excitement of the dance class, both the group action and the individual children. The pictures also show the anger and the support at home, and, always, the bond between close friends.”

— Hazel Rochman, Booklist, 2002

“This author/illustrator team works well together in portraying realistic children in an ethnically diverse setting. Each child in the ballet class has a distinct physical appearance that suggests an individual personality. The girls' families are supportive and involved. The watercolor-and-pastel illustrations of the various places, dance movements, and costumes are affectionately real-not slick or romanticized.”

— School Library Journal, 2002

Talking Walls (1992)
By Margy Burns Knight (Tilbury House, Publishers)

Boston Globe “Top 25 Nonfiction Books for Children”

“O’Brien illustrates each wall with a vibrant, pastel drawing on a large, double-page spread. ... elementary school teachers seeking multicultural books will find this picture book an intriguing visual presentation that could spark discussion in the classroom.”

— starred review Carolyn Phelan, Booklist, August 1992

“Beautifully executed pastel paintings capture the variety and vitality of each culture presented.”

— School Library Journal, Sept/Oct 1992

“O’Brien’s well-designed and affecting pastels cover each spread; showing busy children at each wall, the illustrations focus on the characters’ facial expressions and spur reader interest still further by shifting the perspective for each scene.”

— Publishers Weekly, July 20, 1992

Who Belongs Here? An American Story (1992)

“Best Multicultural Title”, Publisher’s Weekly “Cuffie” Award

Pick of the Lists, American Bookseller

“O’Brien’s muted and gorgeous pictures are perfect for this book which confronts racism but avoids being too preachy or stern.”

— American Bookseller, August 1993

Welcoming Babies (1993)

“Boldly painted, strongly colored double-page pictures in a combination of realism in the foreground and sketchiness in the background show the babies being cherished in special ways by family and friends.”

— School Library Journal, December 1994

“Gorgeous pastel drawings illustrate some of the routines and rituals of a newborn’s first year when he or she is named, protected, kissed, honored, cheated, and welcoming into the community.”

— Midwest Book Review, February 1995

“Beginning with its endpapers covered with babies in their amazing variety, Welcoming Babies is a celebration of the beginnings of life for humans. O’Brien’s pastels are tender, warm, and glowing, showing many different ethnicities and ages of people. Her babies vary in age, some showing the slightly smooshed faces of the very newest born and others the vivacity and charm of the older babies.”

— The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, January 1995

Talking Walls: The Stories Continue (1996)

Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies

“Warm watercolors create just the right mood for the text.”

— School Library Journal, October 1996

“... O’Brien’s strong illustrations, with their feeling for people and places, and the eloquent stories themselves will hold the attention of children in the middle and upper elementary grades.”

— Multicultural Review, June 1997

Africa Is Not A Country (2000)
(Millbrook Press)

Children’s Africana Book Award

Jouanah, A Hmong Cinderella (1996)
By Jewell Reinhart Coburn and Tzexa Lee (Shenís Books)

“The striking illustrations have the ring of authenticity... The landscape, the architecture, the costumes, and the lifestyle depicted are all faithful to reality. The characters are most expressive and colorful, and the border designs are taken from textile patterns.”

— Ginny Lee, Multicultural Review, December 1996

“O’Brien’s realistic, expressive paintings breathe with the atmosphere of a ‘sun-splashed clearing high in the mountains’ while adding depth to the characters portrayed in the text.”

— Margaret Chang, School Library Journal, March 1997

The Princess and the Beggar: A Korean Folktale (1993)
By Anne Sibley OíBrien (Scholastic)
No Longer in Print

Pick of the Lists, American Bookseller

“Pastel illustrations and a moving text provide culture and narrative for the Korean tale.”

— American Bookseller, March 1993

“O’Brien’s graceful retelling subtly hints at the story’s substructure - the reason for the princess’s tears, the intelligence and good will she and Pabo Ondal bring to their marriage. Her realistic pastel and colored pencil art is unpretentious but very appealing, skillfully representing the characters’ feelings and affectionately detailing the landscape and period costume (as explained in an excellent note). A felicitous setting for a lovely tale.”

— Kirkus Reviews, April 1,1993

“The retelling is cast in beautiful prose that has an appropriate antique flavor... O’Brien’s richly colored watercolor pastels are spectacular, conveying the misty beauty of the Korean landscape and the splendor of the royal court.”

— San Francisco Chronicle, June 27, 1993