Robert C. O'Brien (author) facts for kids

Robert Leslie Carroll Conly (born January 11, 1918 – died March 5, 1973) was an American writer. He is best known by his pen name, Robert C. O'Brien. He wrote many books, including famous children's stories. He also worked as a journalist for National Geographic magazine.

Early Life and Education

Robert Conly was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the third of five children in his family. He loved music and reading from a young age.

In 1935, he started college at Williams College. However, he left during his second year. After a short time working, he went back to school. He studied at the Juilliard for a while. Later, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Rochester in 1940.

Robert C. O'Brien's Career

Working as a Journalist

After college, Conly worked briefly at an advertising agency. Then, he started writing for Newsweek magazine. During World War II, he was not able to join the military for health reasons.

In 1944, he began covering news for the Washington Times-Herald. He also worked for Pathfinder, another news magazine. In 1951, he joined National Geographic as an editor and writer. This job allowed him to travel around the world. He became a senior assistant editor there in 1970 and worked until he passed away.

Becoming a Fiction Writer

In the 1960s, Robert Conly developed an eye condition called glaucoma. Because of this, he moved closer to his office in Washington, D.C., in 1963. This saved him time from commuting. He used this extra time to start writing stories for children.

He used the pen name "Robert C. O'Brien" for his books. This name came from his mother's maiden name. He used a different name because his contract with National Geographic did not allow him to publish books with other companies under his real name.

His first children's books were The Silver Crown (1968) and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971). Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH won the famous Newbery Medal in 1972. This award is given to the best children's book each year. Robert Conly wanted to keep his identity a secret. So, his editor, Jean Karl, read his acceptance speech at the award ceremony.

His last two novels were A Report from Group 17 (1972) and Z for Zachariah (1974). These books were written for older readers. Robert Conly passed away in 1973. His wife, Sally, and their daughter, Jane, finished Z for Zachariah using his notes. It was published after his death. Z for Zachariah won an Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery in 1976.

Later, his daughter, Jane Leslie Conly, wrote two more books that continued the story of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. These were Racso and the Rats of NIMH (1986) and R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH (1990).

Family Life

Robert Conly married Sally McCaslin in 1943. They had four children together: three daughters and one son. Their marriage lasted for 30 years until Robert passed away from a heart attack in 1973. His wife, Sally, also wrote about him using the name Sally O'Brien.

Published Books

All of these novels were published under the name Robert C. O'Brien.

• The Silver Crown (Atheneum Books, 1968)
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Atheneum, 1971)
• A Report from Group 17 (Macmillan, 1972)
• Z for Zachariah (Atheneum, 1974)