My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln
Collier and Christopher Collier
Well, I have had this book set aside
for my children's upper school years and finally decided to pre-read
it. I am so glad that I did! I originally bought this book after
seeing it recommended on several book lists for children. After
reading it, I have to question who makes these book lists!
Alert: Spoilers ahead!
Young Timmy is in awe of his brother,
Sam. Sam is dashing and rebellious, and leaves his Tory family to
join with the Patriots in the Revolutionary War. Timmy is unsure
which side he believes in, but knows only that he loves his brother
dearly. Sam is certain that his side is the right one and defies his
father, and stealing the family gun, runs away to fight. Timmy,
meanwhile, is living a normal life for a boy on a farm in the 1700s.
The book is full of day by day happenings without much happening.
Finally, Tim's father feels that he is old enough to make the yearly
trip to sell their cattle. The only problem is, they have always sold
their cattle at a certain port which is held by the British. Tim's
(as he is now called) father doesn't care who buys the cattle as long
as he can sell them. On their way back home, he (the father) is
captured by unknown assailants. After a long wait, Tim and his mother
finally hear that he has been killed. The kicker is that he was held
prisoner on a British ship and caught cholera. So now, Tim feels that
the British side is horrible, else how could they capture and keep
his father prisoner when he was a Tory? After some time, Sam makes a
visit home with his company. During his visit, Tim begs Sam to come
home and help the family. Sam says no, that he plans to re-enlist as
soon as his time is up. Tim realizes that Sam is making a selfish
choice but can do nothing about it. Then one night, they hear a
disturbance in the barn. Some of the men from Sam's company are
trying to steal their cattle but when Sam runs out to stop them, they
turn on him and take him in as a prisoner for the crime that they
were committing. Tim and his mother do everything they can to right
the wrong that has been done but Sam's commanding officer is
determined to make an example of him. In the end, Sam is executed
most brutally and Tim witnesses it all. He comes to the conclusion
that neither side is right and that there had to have been a better
way to resolve the issues at hand.
Now, I love a Revolutionary period book
as much as the next person and I really had high hopes for this book.
But it was very depressing and disheartening. It will not be staying
on my shelves, needless to say. I understand the whole “let's show
them real life” theory in books, but in reality, books should have
a happy ending. Otherwise, we are teaching that there is no reason
for hope. If we are all doomed to an unhappy end, why even try? On
another note, the language in this book was a bit of a shock. As a
children's book, I was very unhappy with that side of it. I guess I
will be pre-reading everything on these famed “lists”.
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