My Brother Sam Is Dead (A Newbery Honor Book)

The classic story of one family torn apart by the Revolutionary War

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.

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. He is also the author of the sequel After My Brother Sam.

James and Christopher 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.