My Brother Sam Is Dead (Scholastic Gold) - by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier (Paperback)

About the Book

All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father. With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.

Book Synopsis

This classic Newbery Honor Book joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

My Brother Sam Is Dead joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father.

War is raging and Tim knows he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.

Review Quotes

A Newbery Honor Book

A National Book Award Nominee

An ALA Notable Children's Book

Jane Addams Children's Honor Book

Mark Twain Award

Phoenix Award Honor Book

★ "A moving junior novel.... How Sam's fate occurs... is the wrenching part in this story of how the Revolutionary War affects the Meekers, a nonpartisian family of the Tory town of Redding, Connecticut. The story is told through the young Tim Meeker, who guardedly watches the war edge closer and closer until it engulfs his family... A sobering tale that will leave readers with a more mature view of history and war." --Booklist, starred review

"Young Tim Meeker looks on as his Loyalist father and older brother Sam, a 'rebel' partisan, confront each other but can never make much sense of the political controversy.... Assumes for once that children can think." --New York Times Book Review

"With its sharp revelation of the human aspects of Revolutionary War life and its probing of political views and divided loyalties, this stirring and authoritative novel earns a place beside our best historical fiction.... A memorable piece of writing." --Horn Book

About the Author

James Lincoln Collier was the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of numerous books, including the Newbery Honor and National Book Award nominee My Brother Sam Is Dead, written with his brother, Christopher Collier. Together the brothers coauthored many historical fiction novels for young readers, including The Bloody Country, The Winter Hero, Jump Ship to Freedom, War Comes to Willy Freeman, and With Every Drop of Blood, and they also cowrote dozens of nonfiction books. Before his death in 2024, James wrote more than thirty books for young people over the course of nearly sixty years, ranging from humorous novels to historical fiction and nonfiction to book about music and musicians. James was the father of two grown children and the grandfather of four. He and his wife lived in New York City and had a country home in Pawling, New York.

Christopher Collier was a history teacher for more than forty-five years. As a teacher, he was inspired to write historical novels, so he convinced his brother James to collaborate with him on a book. The result of that first collaboration was My Brother Sam Is Dead.

Christopher continued his work as a professor and historian, all the while writing across many genres, including for young readers, scholarly publications, and fiction. In addition to being a Newbury Honor author and a National Book Award finalist, Christopher was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He was also an avid musician like his brother, playing both the trumpet and flugelhorn. Christopher lived with his wide in Orange, Connecticut, a father of three and a grandfather of four.