Duncan O'Brien

Readings

Matson the Mouse by Duncan O'Brien, illustrated by Robyn Drage (Both the author and illustrator can attend on occasion)

Before the reading, a slide show including music and short videos is presented to give the audience context for the book, a brief history of Matson Navigation Company, and a short story about the author's relationship with the subject matter (ocean liners crossing the Pacific Ocean). There is also a short A/V presentation and discussion about the impact of jet airplanes. Besides bringing an end to the ocean liner era, the jet plane also had a significant role in globalization that we are still experiencing today.

During the reading, children enjoy the adventures of a mouse travelling on a steamship from San Francisco to Hawaii. The 32 pages of the story are projected on a screen so the audience can get a better appreciation of the beautiful artwork in the book - original paintings which depict realistic scenes from an exotic, colourful bygone era. Music plays during the reading, either live by a Hawaiian recording artist, or recorded. Interactive props are used during the reading to demonstrate scenes and sounds from an ocean liner.

At a key moment in the story, a giant real-life Matson the Mouse appears from backstage. He greets children and participates in the Q&A at the end.

The whole presentation typically lasts 45 minutes.

Special Equipment:

Projector and screen, and microphone depending on audience size

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to the readings to be purchased and autographed.

Biography

Duncan has been a visual communications professional since the mid 1980s, as a writer for print and online media, a photographer for magazines and catalogues, and a videographer for television and the web. He founded Pier 10 Media in 2007.

O’Brien’s first major book, The White Ships, was published in 2008. It was inspired by his parents’ chance meeting aboard a Matson Line passenger ship sailing from San Francisco to Australia, via Hawai’i and the South Seas. The lavishly illustrated, 284-page coffee table book is a tribute to the era fondly remembered as “The Grand Manner of Matson.” In 2009, The White Ships won a Ka Palapala Po’okela award in Hawai’i. Matson the Mouse was written to make this history accessible and understandable for children. Both books reflect the author's own childhood memories of travelling on the ships, and his lifelong interest and passion for the subject.

The story will be of special interest to residents of the west coast and Hawai`i, many of whom remember the "white ship" era.

Duncan was born in Toronto in 1967, and now lives in Victoria, BC, Canada with his wife and two children.