My Brother Sam is Dead Parent Letter

Dear Parents:

We will soon be studying the Revolutionary War in 5th grade. During this time, your child will be reading a novel written by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier called My Brother Sam is Dead. I would like to share some information on this book with you.

Growing up and making sense of who you are and how you fit into the world around you is a big task for any teenager. Getting along with parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, and attempting to assume the responsibilities of adulthood while still obeying your parents are examples of the challenges of being a teenager. Put these familiar “growing pains” into the setting of a family torn by the American Revolution, and you have a firsthand view of Tim Meeker’s very troubled adolescence. It is during this time that Tim tries to understand conflict that raises the issue of loyalty within himself, his family, and his country.

My Brother Sam is Dead is a winner of many literary awards. Among these are: The Newberry Honor Book, Notable Children’s, National Book Award Nominee, and Horn Book Fanfare. This book is often recommended as part of a Social Studies curriculum while studying the American Revolution.

This book is historical fiction in genre, which has distinguishing features including: a setting in a time from the past; a re-creation of the spirit of an historical era; the use of fictional characters and, occasionally, a real historical parsonage; the use of invented dialogue that reflects the way people spoke at the time; and a plot based on the experiences and events of the period.

I have emphasized to my students that the language used by the characters in the book does reflect the era, but does not mean that we are condoning the use of it in our everyday speech. If you have any concerns or would like to read a copy of the book, please feel free to contact me at school at xxx-xxxx or email _____
Sincerely,





Parent Signature_________________________________________________



For more information, analysis and online quizzes:
The My Brother Sam is Dead Study Guide is available via Amazon.com's Kindle edition.

Or visit my website: http://mybrothersamisdead.historyofredding.com/