My Brother Sam is Dead is a fascinating historical fiction by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier, and is a story about a family torn apart over the American Revolution.

The story all starts when the oldest brother, Sam Meeker, comes home unexpectedly from college- Yale to be exact. He gives the family news that the patriots have defeated the “lobster backs” or the British. The Meeker family is loyal to the king and do not think that the war would do any good. However, Sam has a different perspective on this.

Tim, Sam’s younger brother, admires Sam greatly. When the brothers are outside together doing chores around their family’s tavern, Sam tells Tim his plan to steal their father’s gun in order to fight. Tim protests, but he can do nothing to stop Sam. That night, Mr. Meeker and Sam have an argument about the war and Sam runs away from home. One day, near winter, Tim’s father says that this year Tim will be going with him to Verplanck’s Point with him to trade the cattle. On the way there cowboys almost rob them, but a rescue team comes just in time. On the way back however, Tim’s father gets kidnapped and Tim almost does too, but he luckily outsmarts the cowboys. When Tim gets home he immediately becomes more responsible and takes charge of the tavern the family owns. When Sam comes home to visit them a couple months later, he advises Tim to butcher the cattle’s meat and hide it before the patriots steal them. One night when Sam is visiting the tavern again, two patriots try to steal the cattle. Sam chases after them, but gets framed for stealing them.

The question everyone is asking is, what will happen to Sam? I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the American Revolution. It is an interesting read and it gives you a new perspective on the revolution. It will be one of the best historical fictions you have ever read!

-Melika R., 8th grade