Sean O’Brien served as director of speechwriting to Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, special assistant to President Barack Obama, and senior advisor to the Secretary of the Navy. He performed comedy with Chicago’s Second City and Annoyance theaters as well as DC’s Capital Fringe Festival while serving as a chief of staff in the US House of Representatives.
He earned a BA with Honors in American Culture from Northwestern University and an MS in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College.
Sean teaches at Georgetown University in Washington DC, where he lives with his family.
Watch the book trailer for White House Clubhouse.
Sean featured in Publishers Weekly: "Presidential Kids Find a Portal to the Past in a New Middle-Grade Series"
Praise for WHITE HOUSE CLUBHOUSE
"This engrossing, well-rounded story combines adventure, daring, humor, history, and uplifting, kid-centric messaging as it explores the power of nature and the importance of protecting natural resources...Hope abounds in this clever, empowering story."—Kirkus Reviews
"In his debut novel, Sean O’Brien creates a wildly unique club every kid will want to join. With a blend of suspenseful action, laugh-aloud humor, solid history, and a White House insider’s knowledge,White House Clubhouseis a page-turning time-travel romp. Marissa and Clara, First Daughters of a female U.S. President, find a secret portal in the State Dining Room and are whisked into a cross-country train adventure that will test their courage to go toe-to-toe with Teddy Roosevelt in order to change history. The plot rockets along, never sacrificing clarity, and important environmental themes are handled with a light touch that manages to preserve gravity and reverence for nature. It’s deft, fun, full of surprises, and a must-have for bookstores and school libraries."—Peter Lerangis, New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Wonders and Throwback series
“I had a blast journeying through time and across America with Marissa, Clara, and their historic companions in Sean O’Brien’s delightful (or DEEE-lightful!) debut, White House Clubhouse. The story was suspenseful, propulsive, and a lot of fun. O’Brien masterfully weaves together history, adventure, and purpose, to convey the power of action and daring—of being in the arena—in a way that is both inspiring and accessible to kids.”—Ruby Shamir, award-winning author of What's the Big Deal About Elections
Praise for WHITE HOUSE ON FIRE!
"In this tale that’s packed with nonstop action, the events of the War of 1812 are told through a human lens that eschews the glorification of battle and includes the role of Black people in the British and American armies. While the rollicking narrative is full of humor, it doesn’t shy away from hard questions. As Marissa contemplates the phrase 'we the people' in the opening line of the U.S. Constitution, she asks, 'Did Madison think that meant all the people?'...Timely and wildly entertaining."—Kirkus Reviews