I read the book when I was nine years old, and have read it several times since. Though an American by birth, my mother is British, and I was raised to see both sides of the American Revolution, not the whitewashed version presented by most modern history textbooks and films. My Brother Sam is Dead presents a side of the American Revolution not often seen today. The Meeker Family, though Loyalists, are shown as real people having real concerns. Especially poignant is the tension between the eldest brother Sam Meeker, the rebel, and his father. Throughout the book, Tim Meeker, the protaganist, is exposed to the best and worst of both sides of the war. Any kid with even a slight interest in history should read this book. There are a couple of "naughty words" mostly just the word "hell" and the D-word, but that might concern most parents. Also a concern to parents might be the fact that there is no happy ending.