Barbara O'Connor

  • 15

    Catalog books

  • 12

    Works

  • 1994 to 2026

    Strongest span

Who This Author Is

Barbara O'Connor writes compassionate, character-driven stories for young readers, often centering on children navigating loss, family strain, and unexpected responsibility. From tender picture-book voice in Beethoven in Paradise to middle-grade novels like How to Steal a Dog, her work balances humor, heart, and moral complexity.

O'Connor explores resilience through ordinary lives: kids caring for siblings in Taking Care of Moses, small acts of courage in Wish, and biographical touches in titles about dancers Katherine Dunham and Isadora Duncan. Her pages favor quiet moments, practical problem-solving, and emotional honesty over tidy resolutions.

Best Place To Start

How to Steal a Dog

Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2007 • quick commitment

It stands out because it asks for less time than many of the longer volumes on this page.

Author At A Glance

Best known for: Heartfelt children's fiction about young people • Stories about resilience and family • Biographical picture-book subjects

Genres and themes: Middle-grade realism • Family and community • Coming-of-age • Biographies for young readers

Who this author is best for: Good for readers who like warm, character-driven stories about kids facing realistic challenges and gentle historical biographies.

Try a short contemporary novel like How to Steal a Dog or a biographical picture book to sample her range.

Top Books To Start With

  1. How to Steal a Dog

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2007 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2007 • 170 pages.

  2. Taking Care of Moses

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2004 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2004 • 134 pages.

  3. Beethoven in Paradise ("Frances Foster Books)

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 1997 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1997 • 153 pages.

  4. Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2008 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2008 • 112 pages.

  5. Katherine Dunham: Pioneer of Black Dance (Creative Minds Biographies)

    Carolrhoda Books • 1999 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1999 • 104 pages.

  6. barefoot dancer - the story of isadora duncan

    Lerner Pub Group • 1994 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1994 • 95 pages.

  7. WISH

    Square Fish • 2026 • commitment varies by edition

    It helps anchor a specific period of this author’s publishing run instead of blending into the undated shelf clutter.

  8. Greetings from Nowhere

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2008 • standard commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2008 • 208 pages.

  9. Moonpie and Ivy

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2001 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2001 • 160 pages.

  10. Me and Rupert Goody

    Farrar Straus & Giroux • 2003 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 2003 • 106 pages.

How The Picks Compare

  • Taking Care of Moses is the easier short commitment, while How to Steal a Dog asks for more reading time up front.
  • Taking Care of Moses gives you an earlier look at this author’s shelf, while How to Steal a Dog leans later in the catalog.

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