The classic story of one family torn apart by the Revolutionary War All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother. Sam is 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 knows he will have to make a choice between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats, and between his brother and his father.

A literature unit for use with "My Brother Sam is Dead," featuring sample lesson plans, pre- and post-reading activities, a biographical sketch of the author, a book summary, vocabulary lists and activities, chapter study guides with quizzes and projects, book report and research ideas, and options for unit tests.

Fifteen-year-old Ben Buck and his family spent four years clearing the wilderness to build a new home in Pennsylvania. They fought the Indians and the British, and they made sacrifices most people wouldn't have been strong enough to make, all so they could be independent and free. Now someone's trying to take everything away from them-their land, their home, even Ben's best friend, Joe. But the Bucks won't give up without a fight, and Ben knows his family will have to win a war to stay free. But what he doesn't know is that wars sometimes last a very long time. And even if you win in the end, you can lose almost everything along the way.

Justin Conkey was too young to fight in the Revolution of 1776, but now it is 1787 and he is fourteen. Justin is ready to fight, even if he has only his father's old sword to protect him. But once on the battlefield, war is not what he expected. It is dangerous and frightening and nothing makes sense. Throughout a particularly bitter winter the young man is desperate to prove that he too can be a hero—not realizing that many times heroes turn out to be just ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, who do what comes naturally to save others regardless of risk to themselves. Insisting on joining General Daniel Shays' group of Regulators, he lies about his age and marches with the group throughout New England. But war puts friendships and political convictions to the test.

Surviving Sam is Pagan Riddler's story. It begins three years after her twin brother, Sam, dies in an avalanche that roars down the mountain they are climbing together. Now Pagan is in her final year of high school and struggling to come out from under the shadow of Sam's death. She has seen a string of doctors to repair her body and fix her deep depression, but she still wakes up every morning longing for Sam to be alive. Soon life becomes complicated again: her parents might be splitting up, her friends are keeping big secrets from her, and as graudation looms she needs to decide what to do with the rest of her life. Then comes the most difficult blow of all: Sam's body is found at last, and Pagan must accept that her brother is really and truly dead.

A young rebel's decision to fight against the British affects his Tory family.

Twelve-year-old George Stable wants to be a rock star someday, but he gets horrible stage fright—unless he has his old teddy bear with him. Hiding the teddy in his guitar seems like a brilliant idea. Then George discovers that someone has hidden stolen jewels in the stuffing of his beloved bear. George's embarrassing "teddy bear habit" becomes the center of a life-and-death chase through Manhattan. Can George survive long enough to make his first television appearance?