Historical Fiction Novel Preview of "The War Comes to Redding" by Brent M. Colley

Chapter Seven- The Campaign of Starving and Freezing

Up until about December 22nd the weather couldn't seem to make up its mind, we'd have rain, then snow, then more rain, some sleet, and then rain yet again; the roads were a mess. The corduroy road my Father and the other men had created in front of Colonel Read's this past November had become a popular travel route for the teamsters who used it quite often now. 

I remember the 22nd because of all that happened that day. It started off simple enough- On my way back home from school I found a teamster at the corner of Limekiln and Lonetown trying to decide on the best way to go. He was trying to find his way from Lonetown over to the third camp near the Danbury line.

"Hello Mister. You look lost. Can I help?" I asked him.

"Why that surely would be kind of ya," he said in a funny drawl. "I need to get to third camp before this storm gets any worse."

"Then you want to use this road here," I said pointing down Limekiln. "follow it to the Limekilns, you can't miss ‘em and their billows of smoke. From there you’ll cross four fields, and come to a beaver pond. Stay to the south side of the pond and turn Northwest when you reach the next clearing, ahead you will see a stonewall, just beyond it is the pathway that leads straight into third camp."

"Why thank ya son, I do appreciate it." He said with a smile before spurring his horses and heading off through the storm.

The snow was really coming down now, it was up past my ankles and with the winds picking up I knew it wouldn't be long before walking would become difficult, so I cut across the road and into the pines by the swamp. That's where I saw them, there were three of them and they had someone's calf. There were drag marks across the clearing so I figured it was dead, but still it made my heart hurt to see them butchering it; I ran home as fast as I could.

"What's wrong?" asked my Father as I burst through the barn door.

"Soldiers!" I said. "They stole somebody's calf and they're butchering it in the pines!"

My Father slammed the hay rake he was using down to the ground and cursed. "That's the third calf this week!" He grabbed his gun and headed over to the horse stall. "Tell your Mother I'm riding over to Sanford's. And tell her not to worry, we're going to handle this correctly, without any bloodshed."

Mom was worried anyway. Philip and David weren't, they were itching to see what was going to happen to those soldiers.

"What was Dad working on when he left?"  Philip asked.

"He was filling the hay feeders." I said.

"We better get on that." said David to Philip with a wink.

I knew what they were up to, they were heading out to the pines to watch.

"Just stay out of harms way..." Mom blurted as they left, she knew too.

From that moment forward it was a long night for the rest of us. We all sat by the fire, not saying much, just waiting for them to return. Baby Will fell asleep on Phineas’ belly while Mom, Abby and me de-shelled acorns, it was methodical work perfect for the occasion.

Outside we could hear the wind howling.

"I sure hope Phil and Dave took the horses," I thought out loud. "the drifts were ankle high on my way home. They must be waist high by now."

"Good point. You’d better get out there and shovel a path for the morning." said Mom. 

"Really?" I said, hoping she was kidding.

"Really," she said. “"we’ll need a path out to the barn in the morning." Raising an eyebrow to show me she was serious.

"Ugh. Me and my big mouth." I thought over and over again as I shoveled my way out to the barn.

When I got out there I found that they did take the horses. Father took Winfred our quarter horse and Phil and Dave took the work horses, their stalls were empty too.

I told Mom when I got back.

"Good," she said. "let’s get to bed. They may not be back for hours."

She was right, it was well after midnight when they actually got home and we were all fast asleep. We heard all about it at breakfast that morning.

"You should have seen their faces..." David was ecstatic despite his lack of sleep. 

"They had no idea they were surrounded. They had no idea we were even there, they were so focused on the meat they were cooking that they didn't even see us. While they sat there huddled by the fire, the circle closed slowly around them, tighter and tighter, they never heard us, the winds were too loud, and then, BOOM! we all pounced. It was over in seconds; they were subdued and taken to the guard house at Dearborn's camp."

"What's going to happen to them?" asked Abby.

"That's up to General Putnam," said Father. "But I hope he makes an example of them."

"What happens next? asked Philip.

Father’s face twisted, in a thoughtful way. His right hand landed on his right thigh, his left index finger on his upper lip and his thumb under his chin. 

"I really don’t know how this one will play out. The soldiers will be Court-martialed, that’s how they handle these situations. But, this one will be interesting because it involves more than just the Army. Loss of livestock and looting has been prevalent since the troops arrived in Redding and this is the perfect opportunity to put an end to it." 

"Will they be put to death?" asked Mother visibly concerned.

"I don't think Putnam will do that," said Father. "I expect a public lashing, but, as I said, I really don’t know how this one will play out. Putnam may have to put someone to death to put an end to this."

*more soon*


Why I'm writing this novel:

The purpose of my novel is to bring attention to more Revolutionary War topics than simply battles and timelines with the hope that it will fuel future study of these topics in local schools and help students become more aware of the history that surrounds them and push them to explore interests of their own.

In this novel I pick up where My Brother Sam is Dead left off and tell you the story of what it was like to live in Redding in the Winter of 1778-79. Your narrator is Jonas Fairchild. Jonas is 13 years old and lives within walking distance to the middle encampment. His friend and mentor is a Native American Indian named Tom Warrups. Tom is in his 30's and lives just up the hill from Jonas and his family. Through Tom, Jonas learns about Indian culture and their way of life.

Jonas' father owns and operates two saw mills in town with his brothers. When the army decides on Redding for its winter encampment, the Fairchild family agrees to help the soldiers more efficiently cut their hut lumber by showing them how to make saw pits at each encampment. Little do they know they will be helping the soldiers in many more ways than this as the story unfolds.

More will be shared as I edit my chapters so stay tuned for updates about this very insightful first person narrative of what happened when 3,000+ soldiers and their camp followers arrived to co-exist amongst the Redding residents in the winter of 1779.

The War Comes to Redding- A Historical Fiction Novel

Background- Jonas Fairchild is a 13 year old boy living in Redding, Connecticut. It is September 16, 1778.

Chapter One -They're Back-

"They're back! They're back!!" Stephen had been running and he could barely catch his breath.

"Sit down" I said, "Here…  sit here." I got up off the log I was sitting on and guided him down to it.

I let him rest a moment then I asked: "Who's back?"

"Soldiers!" he blurted.

"The British?"

Stephen shook his head and took a deep breath. "No! American soldiers, the same ones we saw this summer; they were over by Colonel  Read's near the old wood lot. And this time they had surveyors with them. Why do you think they had surveyors Jonas?"

I handed him my fishing string to give myself a moment to think about it.

"I don't know for sure, but from what I overheard Isaac Platt talking about at church last Sunday, the troops may be coming to Redding for the Winter."

"Isaac and his brother are soldiers in a Massachusetts Regiment, and he said they were heading up to Quaker's Ridge in Pawling, New York later this week to meet up with the rest of General Washington's troops to train and plan out their strategy for the winter. He said there was a good chance he'd be back in Redding late in November if the General got his way."

Stephen looked puzzled: "Redding? You think they're coming here?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is how my novel begins. 

In this novel I pick up where My Brother Sam is Dead left off and tell you the story of what it was like to live in Redding in the Winter of 1778-79. Your narrator is Jonas Fairchild. Jonas is 13 years old and lives within walking distance to the middle encampment. His friend and mentor is a Native American Indian named Tom Warrups. Tom is in his 30's and lives just up the hill from Jonas and his family. Through Tom, Jonas learns about Indian culture and their way of life.

Jonas' father owns and operates two saw mills in town with his brothers. When the army decides on Redding for its winter encampment, the Fairchild family agrees to help the soldiers more efficiently cut their hut lumber by showing them how to make saw pits at each encampment. Little do they know they will be helping the soldiers in many more ways than this as the story unfolds.

More will be shared as I edit my chapters so stay tuned for updates about this very insightful first person narrative of what happened when 3,000+ soldiers and their camp followers arrived to co-exist amongst the Redding residents in the winter of 1779.

Best Resource for My Brother Sam is Dead

Recently I released my second e-book to help students, teachers and parents better understand the historical fiction novel- My Brother Sam is Dead.

The My Brother Sam is Dead Study Guide is available via Amazon.com's Kindle edition. It is more extensive (67 pages) than any other guide available and the information in it is based on 14 years of research. I grew up in Redding, Connecticut and was surrounded by all that Tim Meeker speaks of in this book. There was so much I could have explored, but I was only 12 years old and never made those connections. So what this examination of My Brother Sam is Dead really is, is an opportunity to prevent children of the current generation from missing out on all this great history. I put a lot of effort into this book for that very reason.

If you purchase or borrow this My Brother Sam is Dead Study Guide at Amazon.com you will find in it:

Chapter One:
About the Book My Brother Sam is Dead

My Brother Sam is Dead is told in the first person by 10 year old Tim Meeker of Redding Ridge. It recounts the hardships endured by Tim and his family during the early stages of the Revolutionary War.

When Tim's older brother Sam returns home from Yale College in New Haven to announce he’s joining the rebel forces, it greatly impacts the rest of his family who wish to remain neutral and/or avoid a rebellious war with England. Tim's family is Anglican and thus loyal to the Church of England; a split with England would greatly affect them...


Chapter Two:
Setting of the Book My Brother Sam is Dead

Redding, Connecticut is located in Southwest Connecticut. Its size is 31.5 square miles, about five miles from north to south, roughly seven miles from east to west. It encompasses 4.9% of Fairfield County.

I also provide background information on Redding before and after the Revolutionary War.


Chapter Three:
Real Life vs. Events Fictionalized in My Brother Sam is Dead

The intent here is to point out real life vs. My Brother Sam is Dead events that relate to Redding, Connecticut. The quotes come directly from the novel; below the quotes are the historical facts these quotes are based on.


Chapter Four:
Places you can visit related to My Brother Sam is Dead

Redding Ridge:
This is where the Meeker's lived. Be sure to explore the Christ Church cemetery, you'll be amazed at how many characters from the book are buried here.

Across the street from the Church looking North are the fields Tim runs across when he attempts to steal back his Father's Brown Bess from Sam.


Chapter Five:
The Characters in the Novel My Brother Sam is Dead

Read all about the characters in the book and learn about the real life people the characters are based on.


Chapter Six:
Why has My Brother Sam is Dead been Challenged or Censored in the Past?

Learn why the novel earned a top 10 listing on the American Way's most challenged book list in 1996.


The 67 page My Brother Sam is Dead Study Guide is available via Amazon.com's Kindle edition.

Want More? 

All I have is at my Dropbox Account...

My Dropbox account is a work in progress so you will always have my latest research and the most accurate information available. You will also have access to new maps and photos and resources.

What’s in the My Brother Sam is Dead Dropbox Folder?

Everything I have collected and written over that past 6 years and that's a whole lot. The idea behind this folder is to help parents and teachers better understand what topics the authors have woven into each chapter of the fictional history novel, My Brother Sam is Dead.

I have broken out this resource into three sections:

1). Guide to MBSD(2 e-books and 8 supporting documents),

2). Maps, Photos and Visuals and

3). Teaching Resources(includes lesson plans and online quizzes).

All my ebooks are included at this resource and much more. Photos and maps of everything that occurs in the novel and teaching tools are included as well.

This is everything you need and more to get your kids really excited about the novel and come away with a very good understanding of why the novel was written.

My Brother Sam is Dead Dropbox Access

More from my upcoming book- The War Comes to Redding

Chapter Four- Preparing for the Winter Encampments-

I awoke to light rain on November 14th, it was Tuesday, I had school down in the Center mid-morning so I could have slept a bit more if I wanted but the fall forage had gotten me into the habit of getting up early; I was up and that was that. I sat with my tea cupped in one hand thumbing through my journal with the other, it had been just over two months since Stephen had seen the soldiers over at Read's old wood lot, and as I skimmed over my entries, I was amazed by how much had happened here in Redding over that short stretch of time.

Soon after Stephen's sighting we learned that Colonel Aaron Burr, one of General Putnam's aides and a frequent visitor to Redding, was the one that had advised General Putnam to ride through and consider our township for encampments following his visit with General Heath's Brigade in July. Heath's troops were stationed near the supply depots just North of Redding (in the town of Danbury) which explained all the soldiers we had frequenting Redding back then.

General Putnam liked what he saw in Redding, and with George Washington's approval three Redding camp locations were selected. Our saw mills bordered two of the three encampment sites and initially the Army proposed that roof slabs and door boards would be cut here and taken to the camps by teamsters. My Father asked them to reconsider because the work to provide the roof slabs and door boards required would bring his regular business to a halt. He showed the Army engineers his saw pits when they visited our mills in October and explained how easy it would be to replicate them at the encampments. They agreed and with Father and Uncle Ephraim's help each camp will be outfitted with saw pits prior to the troops arrival.

We expect the troops here soon, last week the Quartermaster's troops began laying out the encampments and staking the locations where each hut should go. Stephen and me counted the stakes over at the east camp yesterday and there were 116! Most of these huts are going to house twelve men each, at least that is what we were told; which seems unbelievable. If that's really true, there could be over 1,200 soldiers at the first camp alone, that number pretty much equals the number of people living in Redding right now which has caused a great deal of excitement (both good and bad) locally. Some people, like Mr. Lyon feel the troops will be a burden. Others, like Widow Sanford, are thrilled and making preparations to support the troops when they arrive.

As kids, the dangers and hardships of War are of little concern, all we know is that there will be excitement and activity, and so we are all very much looking forward to having the troops here this Winter. It's pretty much all we talk about.

"The second camp looks different than the first one." said Elijah Pruitt as we made our way to the Center.

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, you know how the first camp has all the rows laid out?"

"Yeah..." I said.

"The second camp doesn't have as many rows and some stakes are located along the hillside." Elijah explained.

"Hmmmph, I wonder if that's for a reason." I wondered out loud.

"Did you see any signs of activity while you were there?" I asked.

"No, just the stakes."

"How many?"

"Don't know, I didn't count them." said Elijah.

"Some spy you are!" I laughed.

"Hey! I think I'd make a very good spy." Elijah protested loudly.

By then we were just about to the Center, across the parade grounds is Mr. Adams' house, and we could see him on the front step ringing his school bell and waving for us to hurry.  Mr. Adams is our schoolmaster and a deacon at our church. For a long time I wasn't too excited about school days but since Mr. Adams came to town last February, he's really made learning a lot of fun. It's not the same old boring stuff over and over like it was before, Mr. Adams adds in new material like ciphering, debating and surveying along with our regular lessons which we all very much enjoy.

"Come on boys! Hurry! We have a guest lecturer today." Mr. Adams called out to us, which got us into a trot and we weren't disappointed when we got there. It was Squire Heron, a local legend in the flesh. I could barely stammer out my hello.

"Ha-ha-hello Mist-mister Ha-ha-ha-Heron."

"HELLO!" He boomed in return.

I was startled, but happy and smiling as I quickly scurried to my seat.

Mr. Heron's not very tall and he's what Stephen describes as "pudgy," but he has a strong presence. I can't quite explain it but, he has this air of self-confidence that commands your attention and obedience.

He lives just south of the Anglican Church on Redding Ridge, he moved there just after the War began. It's believed that he taught at the Academy in Greenfield Hill before coming to Redding, and prior to that had helped survey the old stage route from New York to Boston; but no one knows for sure. He never really speaks of his past except to say that he was born in Cork, Ireland, and attended Trinity College in Dublin. Then, there's that rumor that he's a spy, which makes him the ultimate man of mystery here in Redding, but...

"OKAY!" boomed Mr. Heron, jarring me from my thoughts.

He then removed the cover from his Globe, placed his finger on the Atlantic Ocean and said:

"Boys, today we are going to explore the topic of Supply and Demand. Does anyone know what goods our State produces?"

Lazarus Gray raised his hand. "Flour."

"Yes, that's correct. Our grist mills grind both corn meal and wheat flour. What else?"

"Fish?" Elijah answered hesitantly.

"Yes. Fish is one of our top exports, as is our pork and beef." said Mr. Heron agreeably.

"What else?"

"Lumber." I said hopefully.

"Yes." said Mr. Heron

"But, not in the form that you would imagine. Does anyone know what I mean?"

He stood with his hands on his hips scanning the room with his eyes.

No one raised their hand.

"Is anyone familiar with charcoal?" he asked and hands shot up throughout the room.

Mr. Heron smiled and said:

"Charcoal is a very important good, especially right now. Charcoal and lime are being combined with ore to produce the iron that will become cannons and cannon balls for our Army and Navy. And that is happening right now here in our State."

He swung the globe around and placed his finger on Connecticut and then he said:

"Right now in the Northwestern hills of our State there is a fine example of supply and demand going on. That is what trade is about boys, trade is all about fulfilling the needs of others and the iron furnaces up there in Connecticut's top left corner are doing just that- They are the Arsenal of the Revolution. Their profit, however, depends on the outcome of the War. Under normal circumstances, providing goods and services that fulfill people's needs will make you very wealthy, but the way this War is being financed has altered that and I think it is important that you understand what we may see here this Winter should the Army's provisions run low."

"What we'll see with the soldiers arriving here shortly will be needs that are very basic- the soldiers will need wood for their shelters and fires; they will need food and drink; they will need a water source; some will need clothes, blankets and shoes.

Whether or not all of these needs can be and will be fulfilled is uncertain. There should be enough wood for them and water sources are not a problem, however, food, drink, clothes, blankets, shoes and other goods may not be readily available when they need them. And should things get desperate, unfortunately, money will not be exchanged with the locals to obtain these necessities. The soldiers do not have any money and their officers pay locals for their needs in promissory notes that are for the most part "I owe you's."

Stephen raised his hand.

"Yes Stephen." said Mr. Heron

"So, my Father will not be paid if he grinds flour and corn for the soldiers?" asked Stephen.

"Unfortunately, it's not likely. If this winter is anything like last year in Valley Forge, army procurement officers will be employing an impressment policy, which means they will take whatever they need. In past encampments, locals have dismantled their wagons, hid their horses, and driven their livestock hundreds of miles away to avoid having it all confiscated in forced sales to procurement officers."

I raised my hand and Mr. Heron nodded for me to speak.

"Why are they stealing from the people who support them?" I asked.

"It's not because they want to." Mr. Heron said frankly. "And the procurement officers leave the owner with a certificate promising future payment. So technically, they are not stealing, but they are taking supplies without proper payment because they have no choice, they need supplies and there is no other way to get them."

That confused me. "If we don't have the supplies to support the troops, then why are they coming to Redding?"

"It's a strategic move." He answered.

"Has Mr. Adams taught you what a crescent shape looks like?" Mr. Heron asked the classroom openly.

"Yes," said Stephen "it's like a half circle."

"That's correct." Said Mr. Heron.

"Following the action at Monmouth, New Jersey this Summer, the British troops took up residence in New York City and have been there ever since. General Washington wishes to keep them there as long as he can and has configured a crescent shaped arrangement of encampments from New Jersey to the Hudson River to Long Island Sound to do so. If they wish to move North, they will have to fight their way through the encampments. Redding's position is appealing in this strategy because it has plenty of open land and timber for the soldier's shelters, and it's accessible to supply teams via roads that also make troop movement convenient in all four directions."

I raised my hand again, "Are there supplies in Danbury?"

"Yes," said Mr. Heron "there are supplies and there will be more coming now that we have France's support in this War. However, we still must be aware of the potential problems the troops may face. The supply depots are in Danbury, not Redding, so if the weather is as bad this year as it was last year it will be difficult for the teamsters to get the troops the supplies they need."

I understood what he meant and nodded to let him know.

"Are you happy about the War coming to Redding Mr. Heron?" Elijah asked.

Mr. Heron paused for a long moment. 

"I have concerns," he said thoughtfully. "I have concerns because as I just was explaining- with War comes uncertainty. The outcome you expect is rarely the one you get. And we will have a very large and diverse group of people here. If there is any trouble it will have to be handled swiftly and with force by the Generals or the safety of both the army and our citizens will be at risk."

"...our citizens will be at risk?" My mind began to race again.

And it wasn't just me, I think it made all of us a little uneasy and Mr. Adams must have noticed because he stepped in at that point to explain.

"What Mr. Heron means is that because three camps have been selected it will bring close to 3,000 soldiers to Redding and no one is sure if that will quiet or rile the locals who would rather see the British win this war."

"That's right." Said Mr. Heron.

"There are many loyal to Crown of England here in Redding, and some may attempt to assist the British by spying on the encampments and sharing what they see. That has been a problem in every Winter encampment thus far and I know that General Putnam is keen on putting an end to it this Winter. Another problem has been desertion by the troops themselves. To solve the soldiers deserting camps and spies infiltrating camps issue, General Putnam has warned that the next offender of either sort (deserter or spy) captured will suffer death as an example."

Again Mr. Adams stepped in- "What Mr. Heron is saying and the reason I asked him to speak to you today is: Change is coming to our town. The troops will only be here for the Winter but the impact of their time here may have an impact that will last a lifetime for many of you. What's to come is largely unknown, but I wanted you to know both the reasons behind the encampments and the dangers the encampments might bring. I wanted you all to be aware of this prior to the soldiers arrival because I know (as Squire Heron has mentioned) with War comes uncertainty. This Winter may be uneventful and perhaps even boring, but I wish to prepare you for events rather than explain why events have occurred to you later."

Over the course of the next two hours, Mr. Heron continued to share his knowledge and answer our questions; we had a lot of questions. There was so much that we hadn't considered. It was a lot to take in for one school day and our walk home was silent.

Well, mainly silent, as we got closer and closer to Colonel Read's we could hear lots of activity- pounding, chopping, crashing, oxen mooing and men barking out orders.

When we got to the corner of Read's property we discovered why- road work. Every Fall many of the men in our area tend to the roadways in preparation for Winter. We live on what's called a "Cross Highway" that runs east and west past Read's Manor. Normally this stretch of road doesn't get all that much traffic, mainly people visiting my Father's mills or the Limekilns down by Elijah's house. Most of the year it's a decent road, but come Spring it's a different story, it gets swampy, especially in front of Colonel Read's after the snow melts and travel can be difficult.

My Father was shoveling dirt on top of the logs on the far west end of the area they were working when we got there.

"Hi Dad!" I said cheerfully.

"Hey Jonas! How was school today?"

I told him there was a lot to tell and asked if we could discuss that at supper. He agreed and I asked him what they were doing with all the logs. I hadn't seen them do this type of road work before.

"With the troops coming, we are trying to ensure passage for not only the troops but also their supply teams throughout the winter and into spring. This will be a well-traveled roadway while the troops are here and we need to firm up the swampy areas. Placing the trees across the road and covering them with dirt allows carts and wagons coming through here to cross without getting caught up in the mud. It makes for a bumpy ride, but it's effective."

"Neat!" I said.

"Jonas," my Father said as he scooped up another shovelful of dirt. "I have to keep working if we're going to get this done today.

I'll see at home, okay?"

"Sure Dad. I'll see you tonight." I said as we turned to leave.

I had work to do too.


Why I'm writing this novel:


The purpose of my novel is to bring attention to more Revolutionary War topics than simply battles and timelines with the hope that it will fuel future study of these topics in local schools and help students become more aware of the history that surrounds them and push them to explore interests of their own.

In this novel I pick up where My Brother Sam is Dead left off and tell you the story of what it was like to live in Redding in the Winter of 1778-79. Your narrator is Jonas Fairchild. Jonas is 13 years old and lives within walking distance to the middle encampment. His friend and mentor is a Native American Indian named Tom Warrups. Tom is in his 30's and lives just up the hill from Jonas and his family. Through Tom, Jonas learns about Indian culture and their way of life.

Jonas' father owns and operates two saw mills in town with his brothers. When the army decides on Redding for its winter encampment, the Fairchild family agrees to help the soldiers more efficiently cut their hut lumber by showing them how to make saw pits at each encampment. Little do they know they will be helping the soldiers in many more ways than this as the story unfolds.

More will be shared as I edit my chapters so stay tuned for updates about this very insightful first person narrative of what happened when 3,000+ soldiers and their camp followers arrived to co-exist amongst the Redding residents in the winter of 1779.
Future Updates:

For more previews as I finish new chapters be sure to "Like" me on Facebook or "Follow" me in Twitter...

My Brother Sam is Dead Facebook page
My Brother Sam is Dead Twitter account

You can also sign-up for my Dropbox Folder. This book and many others will soon be posted to the Dropbox Folder along with teaching resources for them.

What’s in the My Brother Sam is Dead Dropbox Folder?

Everything I have collected and written over that past 6 years and that's a whole lot. The idea behind this folder is to help parents and teachers better understand what topics the authors have woven into each chapter of the fictional history novel, My Brother Sam is Dead.

I have broken out this resource into three sections:

1). Guide to MBSD(2 e-books and 8 supporting documents),

2). Maps, Photos and Visuals and

3). Teaching Resources(includes lesson plans and online quizzes).

All my ebooks are included at this resource and much more. Photos and maps of everything that occurs in the novel and teaching tools are included as well.

This is everything you need and more to get your kids really excited about the novel and come away with a very good understanding of why the novel was written.

My Brother Sam is Dead Dropbox Access