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My Brother Sam Is Dead (Paperback)
by James Lincoln Collier , Christopher Collier
| Category:
Family, Revolution, Award-winning books, Teens |
| Market price: ¥ 108.00
MSL price:
¥ 88.00
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| Stock:
In Stock |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
"My Brother Sam is Dead" is a more accessible story, and more enjoyable to students who may not be all that fond of history. |
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Detail |
Author |
Description |
Excerpt |
Reviews |
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Author: James Lincoln Collier , Christopher Collier
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Pub. in: June, 2005
ISBN: 0439783607
Pages: 240
Measurements: 0.5 x 5.2 x 7.5 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BC00064
Other information:
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- Awards & Credential -
The winner of the Newbery Medal in 1944 |
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- MSL Picks -
This book describes the fictional adventures of the Meeker family of Redding, Connecticut, though much of the context of the story - including setting, characters and situations - is true. The action takes place between April 1775 and February 1779. Tim Meeker begins as an 11-year old boy; his father runs the town's tavern and general store and remains loyal to the English king, while his beloved older brother Sam has just run off to join the Rebels and fight for freedom from the British.
The narrative voice of Sam is effective and well-written. A lot of choices are made and many changes take place for anyone between the ages of eleven and fifteen, but just imagine if you were also going through those important times while the American Revolution was happening around you! Sam is confused. He doesn't understand all the issues and has seen acts of good and bad from both sides. He loves his father and his brother. He cannot decide where his loyalties lie. Sam's dilemma makes clear that the Revolution was really America's first civil war - neighbors fought neighbors, people were right and wrong on both sides, and everyone suffered.
This is a realistic book with no struggles or acts beyond the believable abilities of the characters involved. There is no explicit violence but the narrator sees a beheading and an execution, so this book would be inappropriate for young readers; but it captures the dilemmas of growing up and the difficulties of the Revolution in a way that would make it interesting and valuable to pre-teens and teenagers.
Target readers:
Kids aged up 8
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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 knows he'll have to make a choice - between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.
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Robert Edward James (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-28 00:00>
The Colliers are probably the best brother writing team in America; James Lincoln Collier's books on jazz are easily the most readable as well. My Brother Sam is Dead helped to launch the revolution in young adult writing back in the early seventies. To this day, the only young adult novel about the American Revolution that's any better is "Johnny Tremaine" by Esther Forbes, which My Brother Sam is Dead was clearly modeled on as the tale of a young man torn by the pressures of choosing sides in a war. A reader learns more history from Forbes as well, I think. But My Brother Sam is Dead is a more accessible story, and more enjoyable to students who may not be all that fond of history. A good read, and one that has weathered the years well. |
Dennis (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-28 00:00>
The Collier brothers deliver a fine novel in My Brother Sam Is Dead. Like Esther Forbes' classic "Johnny Tremain," the foreground characters (the Meeker family, etc.) are fictional while the backdrop is an accurate portrayal of the American Revolution, making the book "historical fiction." Also like "Johnny Tremain," "Sam" does not present the War of Independence as black and white, but with pros and cons on both sides. Both the Yanks and the Brits had their heroes and villains. And even the heroes and villains were not all good or all bad. For example, "Sam" gives some space to arch-traitor Benedict Arnold, the epitome of hero and villain, and Sam himself is an admirable yet flawed protagonist.
"Sam" presents a realistic glimpse into America's early days, with all its glory and tragedy, unity and schism (the American Revolution was also a civil war with deep divisions among Colonialists), nobility and racial prejudice. For every caring person, there seemed to be one callous person who cheapened the value of human life. This book is not for the squeamish and if it were given a movie rating, I imagine it would be "PG-13." There are one or two anachronisms in "Sam," like the wisecrack "in one ear and out the other," but they are minor and should not jeopardize a high rating.
If My Brother Sam Is Dead is a worthy successor to "Johnny Tremain" (winner of the Newbery Medal in 1944), then it has done well as a Newbery Honor Book. "Sam" is a winner, in my opinion, especially for teens. A good read, it left me with a sobering judgment about war and its destructive consequences. Tim Meeker, the fictional narrator who grew to love the emerging American nation, concludes by wondering if there might have been another way to achieve the same end without war. |
W.B.J (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-28 00:00>
This historical fiction book is one filled with action and adventure that will appeal to people of all ages. Collier brings these characters to life by identifying traits in them that we also see in ourselves. In this story, we follow mainly the life of one boy whose brother is fighting for the patriots, but whose parents are still loyalist. This book shows us not only the story of a young boy who longs to be respected by his older brother, but also shows us how relationships were affected by the revolutionary war.
One of the most prevalent relationship struggles that we see is between the boy's brother, Sam, and his father. This is because Sam has gone off to fight in the war that his father does not believe in. On top of that, Sam in on the side of the patriots, while his father is a loyalist. Another relationship affected was that between Tim and Sam. Tim has always looked up to Sam and that only gets stronger when he goes to war. However, after Sam's quarrel with his father, Tim begins to get frustrated with Sam, and loses some of that respect. All of these relationships, plus some smaller ones, combine to convey the overall purpose of the book.
I believe that this book is appropriate for people from all walks of life. Anyone and everyone would enjoy this marvelous piece of historical fiction. Whether you are drawn to the relationships, the arguments, the history, or the adventure, you will enjoy this book as much as any other out there. This book can appeal to any idea of entertainment. Everyone will be able to find something in this action packed drama.
The Colliers did an excellent job of incorporating the historical aspect into the dramatic novel. While not all people and events are exactly factual, the overall setting is real. The events were also made up; however, they were reality for many families. The authors address this in the end of the book. This combination of reality and fiction, blend together to make a timeless piece of work. This book is great for everyone to read. This book should be at the top of everyone's "must read" list. This book is great for everyone, and I would recommend it to anyone that wants a good book to read.
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A kid (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-28 00:00>
I gave My Brother Sam is Dead a 5 star rating because throughout the novel you find out how times were then and what life was like. The book really connects you with life in the 1700's. The book is about a family that is torn apart by the war. A lot of events happen right in the town of Redding that they live in and it helps you understand what this time was like. My Brother Sam is Dead and the Giver are quite alike in a strange sort of way. In the Giver there is no love in the families because they are put together, but in My Brother Sam is Dead there is no real love between the Mom, son, and Dad, yet it is a real family. Also in both books someone or some group is searching for independence. The main difference between the two books is that one takes place in a futuristic world and the other during the Revolutionary War. A person might read this book if they would like to know about things that happened during the Revolutionary War or understand what families went through in these times. Another reason to read this book would be if you are learning about the Revolution in school, because it helps you get a better grip on what you are learning about. There are a couple conflicts in the story that affect the main plot from a family member's decision to enlist in the army to a family member getting kidnapped. When the kidnapping occurred the mother and the son had to pick up extra responsibilities, causing them to have to work on Sunday's. Setting in this story enables the story to take place. The story is about a family in the middle of the Revolution and without that time period the story would be lost, eliminating the author's purpose. |
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