My Brother Sam Is Dead

by Christopher Collier PhD, James Lincoln Collier

This young adult novel, which successfully captures the pain of the Revolutionary War, is a fine example of historical fiction. The American Revolution was a war that divided families (English loyalists versus eager Patriots) and one of the families being torn apart is the Meeker family. Young Tim sees his 16-year-old brother join the militia to fight the British, while his father tries to remain loyal to the crown. Their hometown of Redding Ridge, Connecticut is a Tory town, and it is a constant struggle for the family to remain neutral. As the war progresses, Tim has to learn some very hard lessons: Life does not always follow the easiest and happiest course.

Readers will be drawn in by compelling characters, and also by the novel's well-crafted historical backdrop. The Collier brothers have written a story that reaches across historical boundaries, and has become a modern-day classic.

Ages: 11, 14, 12, 15, 13, 16, 17, 18
Interest Level: Grades 6 - 12
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.8
Lexile Measure: 770L
DRA: 60
Guided Reading: Y
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Book Type: Chapter Book
Number of Pages: 224
Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction

About the Authors

Christopher Collier PhD My Brother Sam Is Dead, published in 1974, gave readers a realistic view of the Revolutionary War on the eve of the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. It was a Newbery Honor Book in 1975 and was designated a Notable Book by the American Library Association. It was also nominated for a National Book Award in 1975.

James Lincoln Collier James Lincoln Collier's most famous book, My Brother Sam Is Dead, won the Newbery Honor Book Award in 1974.