May L. O'Brien May L. O'Brien i(A46390 works by) (a.k.a. May Lorna O'Brien; May O'Brien)
Born: Established: 1933 Laverton, Goldfields area, Southeast Western Australia, Western Australia, ;
Gender: Female
Heritage: Aboriginal ; Aboriginal Wangkatha
(Storyteller) assertion
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

Works By

Preview all
1 y separately published work icon Wongutha Tales May L. O'Brien , Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 2024 27137222 2024 selected work children's fiction Indigenous story

'From traditional Indigenous teaching stories to stories based on the author's childhood at Mount Margaret Mission, Wongutha Tales is a unique collection bringing together May O'Brien's wonderful work for the first time.

'First published as individual titles in 1992, May O'Brien's stories were ground-breaking publications, presenting traditional Indigenous stories in a bilingual text and giving a unique insight into learning English as a second language from a First Nations perspective. Classic tales such as How Crows Became Black and Why the Emu Can't Fly are still as fresh and appealing as ever for a new generation of junior readers. Plus May's simple pronunciation guide for Wongutha words are perfect learning activities for the classroom.' (Publication summary)
1 y separately published work icon Badudu Stories May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 2014 7844334 2014 selected work picture book

'What’s it like for an Aboriginal child to move from a remote community college to a mainstream school? These are true stories written from the child’s perspective.' (Publication summary)
1 My Story May L. O'Brien , 2014 single work life story
— Appears in: Remembered by Heart 2014; (p. 75-77)
1 y separately published work icon May O'Brien BEM : About Her Love of Education, and the Racism She Encountered at School in Western Australia May L. O'Brien , Canberra : National Museum of Australia , 2009 Z1624620 2009 website life story
1 From the West : May O'Brien May L. O'Brien , 2008 single work column
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , August vol. 52 no. 3 2008; (p. 12)
1 4 y separately published work icon Bawoo Stories May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), Sue Wyatt (illustrator), Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 2008 Z1507459 2008 selected work picture book children's Indigenous story

'Four wonderful traditional teaching stories of the Wongutha people are collected together here for the first time: 'Barn Barn Barlala', 'The Kangaroos Who Wanted to be People', 'How Crows Became Black', 'Why the Emu Can't Fly'.

First published as individual titles in 1992, these stories were ground-breaking publications, presenting traditional Indigenous stories in a bi-lingual text. Sales of the individual titles now exceed 26,000 copies each. Updated with a vibrant new design, the stories are still as fresh and appealing as ever. The collected work contains a map, explanatory note and a simple pronunciation guide for the Wongutha words used in the text.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)

1 2 y separately published work icon Which Jack? May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1994 Z1030168 1994 single work picture book children's 'Wanu arrives at the Mount Margaret Mission without knowing any English. So, when he's asked to get a car jack for the local mechanic, he returns with something unexpected.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)
1 2 y separately published work icon What Do You Say? May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1994 Z1030165 1994 single work picture book children's 'Saying 'Thank-you' is not the Wongutha way, but when Buruwan wins a prize at school she must decide whether or not to live up to her teacher's expectations of appropriate behaviour.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)
1 2 y separately published work icon Smartie Pants May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1994 Z1030151 1994 single work picture book children's 'It's the Mount Margaret vs. Laverton footy match and Landy is on the team. But how can he focus on his game when the Laverton cheer squad is trying so hard to put him off? And what do they mean by calling his pants smart?' (Source: Fremantle Press website)
1 1 y separately published work icon Badudu Stories May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), 1994 Z1030146 1994 series - author picture book children's In this picture book series these true stories are 'based on the personal experiences of May O’Brien and her memories of the misunderstandings that occurred when attempting to learn English as a second language.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)
1 2 y separately published work icon Too Big for Your Boots May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1994 Z1030141 1994 single work picture book children's 'When Bindabinda's teacher tells her she's too big for her boots, she worries about what it might mean. The last time she wore shoes was two years ago. When all the kids in her class start to tease her about having a body too big for her feet, Bindabinda takes things into her own hands and decides to stop eating.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)
1 Seven Sisters Visit Intrigues the Yayarrs May L. O'Brien , 1993 single work extract
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 10 February no. 44 1993; (p. 15)
1 1 y separately published work icon Why the Emu Can't Fly May L. O'Brien , Sue Wyatt (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1992 Z1176936 1992 single work picture book children's Indigenous story 'Wongutha story which tells of the efforts of small birds to stop the boasting and meanness of the flying emus.' (Source: LibrariesAustralia)
1 1 y separately published work icon The Kangaroos Who Wanted to Be People May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1992 Z1176931 1992 single work picture book children's Indigenous story
1 1 y separately published work icon Barn-Barn Barlala : The Bush Trickster May L. O'Brien , Sue Wyatt (illustrator), South Fremantle : Fremantle Press , 1992 Z1176925 1992 single work picture book children's Indigenous story 'Wongutha story from Western Australia about children who become lost after following a bird when searching for mistletoe berries.' (Source: LibrariesAustralia)
1 1 y separately published work icon How Crows Became Black May L. O'Brien , Angela Leaney (illustrator), South Fremantle : Sandcastle Books , 1992 Z1176918 1992 single work picture book children's Indigenous story

Wongutha story from Eastern Goldfields of how silver-grey crows became black and how the salt lakes were made by the tears of the crows. The story explains how the crows who were grey, wanted to change color because no one liked their silver-grey feathers. They felt left out and thought if they were black they would be accepted. (Source: LibrariesAustralia)
1 y separately published work icon The Legend of the Seven Sisters : a Traditional Aboriginal Story from Western Australia : Notes and Workbook May L. O'Brien , Anne Graham , Sue Wyatt (illustrator), Canberra : Aboriginal Studies Press , 1991 Z1684577 1991 single work criticism 'A companion volume to the storybook' The Legend of the Seven Sisters : a Traditional Aboriginal Story from Western Australia. Source: Publisher's blurb
1 From the Word Go : Books for Younger Readers Meg Sorensen , May L. O'Brien , 1991 single work interview
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , May no. 130 1991; (p. 44-46)
1 3 y separately published work icon Wunambi the Water Snake May L. O'Brien , Sue Wyatt (illustrator), Canberra : Aboriginal Studies Press , 1991 Z847417 1991 single work picture book children's Indigenous story The story of Wunambi, the water snake who roamed the earth when the world was young. His great tracks became the rivers and creeks that exist today.
1 5 y separately published work icon The Legend of the Seven Sisters : A Traditional Aboriginal Story from Western Australia May L. O'Brien , Sue Wyatt (illustrator), Canberra : Aboriginal Studies Press , 1990 Z848997 1990 single work picture book Indigenous story children's

'...The Wongutha people of the Eastern Goldfields area in Western Australia tell stories about the stars explaining how the stars came to be where they are. Some stars are grouped together and have special names.

One of these groups of stars is called the Seven Sisters. The Sisters were beautiful women who used to visit the Earth and wander the land. This is the story of why they appear in their position in the night sky. Source: Publisher's blurb

X