Bio

Born in New York City in 1928, author James Lincoln Collier is beloved by young readers in particular for the award-winning historical novels he has written with his brother, historian Christopher Collier. A graduate of Hamilton College, Collier served in the U.S. Army after college and then worked as a magazine editor for several years. Collier always intended to be a writer, however, considering it to be “the family business.”

Though he began his career writing for adults, in 1965 Collier published his first book for children, the nonfiction Battleground: The United States Army in World War II. He branched out into fiction for young readers with the adventure story The Teddy Bear Habit: or, How I Became a Winner in 1967. Perhaps his most famous children's book, however, is the Newbery Honor Book he wrote with his brother, the popular Revolutionary War story My Brother Sam Is Dead.

The father of two children, Collier is also an accomplished trombone player. He lives in New York City, where he continues to write and play jazz music.