Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

This is a tough, honest book about war—and it's not for everyone. Written in 1974 and earning a Newbery Honor, it deliberately subverts the patriotic Revolutionary War narrative kids usually get. Both armies are portrayed as flawed, families are torn apart, and the ending is devastating: Sam is executed by his own side for a crime he didn't commit.

The violence is real—parent reviews consistently flag the beheading scene, battlefield gore, and strong language. This isn't a book you hand to a sensitive 10-year-old. But for mature middle schoolers ready to think critically about history, it's genuinely enriching. It asks hard questions about loyalty, ideology, and whether any cause is worth tearing families apart.

The catch: it's old. The 2005 edition is just a reprint of the 1974 original, and the pacing feels dated compared to modern YA. Kids who love historical fiction will engage; reluctant readers will struggle. It's the kind of book that works better in a classroom with discussion than as a solo summer read.

If your kid can handle the violence and is ready for moral complexity, this is worthwhile. If they're looking for adventure or heroism, look elsewhere.

Age Fit

Best for ages 12-15, specifically mature middle schoolers who can handle graphic violence and moral ambiguity. The content is too intense for most elementary readers, and high schoolers may find the 1970s writing style slow. Often assigned in 7th-8th grade classrooms.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

45

A morally complex Revolutionary War story that deliberately avoids heroic narratives. Both armies portrayed negatively, family torn apart by ideology, ending with the execution of the title character. Emotionally heavy with themes of betrayal, violence, and moral ambiguity. Not emotionally harmful, but far from uplifting—this is a book designed to show war's brutality and moral grayness.

Imaginative

55

Historical fiction that presents the Revolutionary War from an unconventional angle—rejecting the typical patriotic narrative for moral complexity. Characters are well-drawn and the setting is vivid, but this is fundamentally a realistic war story, not one that invites creative exploration or wonder. It's thought-provoking rather than imagination-sparking.

Safe

35

Contains graphic violence including a beheading, battlefield gore, and the execution of a teenage character. Multiple parent reviews on Common Sense Media call out 'appalling language' and violence as inappropriate for younger readers. No sexual content or other mature themes, but the war violence is explicit and disturbing. This is not a book a 9-year-old should stumble into unexpectedly.

Enriching

78

Newbery Honor Book that offers genuine historical insight into the Revolutionary War's complexity—families divided, moral ambiguity on both sides, the cost of ideology. Forces readers to grapple with difficult questions about loyalty, patriotism, and the human cost of war. Strong character development and ethical complexity. Genuinely educational without being preachy.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Newbery Honor Book that presents history honestly—both sides flawed, war devastating, no easy heroes
Strong character development with a protagonist torn between brother and father, Patriots and Loyalists
Genuinely educational about Revolutionary War complexity without feeling like a textbook
Forces readers to grapple with difficult moral questions about loyalty, ideology, and the cost of conviction
Well-paced story that keeps you engaged despite the heavy subject matter

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What to Watch For

Graphic violence including a cow beheading, battlefield scenes, and the execution of Sam at the end
Strong language that some parents find inappropriate for younger readers
Emotionally devastating ending—Sam is executed by his own army for a crime he didn't commit
Anti-war message may conflict with families seeking patriotic Revolutionary War narratives
Written in 1974, so pacing and style may feel dated compared to modern YA fiction

Conversation Starters

"Tim's family is split—his brother joins the Patriots, his father supports the British. How would you feel if your family disagreed about something this big?"
"The book shows both armies doing terrible things. Does that change how you think about the Revolutionary War?"
"Sam dies at the end, executed by his own side. Why do you think the authors chose to end the story this way?"
"Mr. Meeker says the war isn't worth the cost. Do you think he's right? When is fighting for something worth it?"
"Tim never picks a side. Is that cowardly or smart?"

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My Brother Sam Is Dead