Brave Like My Brother

by Marc Tyler Nobleman

The action of WWII comes alive through American soldier Joe's letters home to his younger brother, Charlie! When Charlie's brother, Joe, is called up to fight in World War II, he promises to write letters to ten-year-old Charlie as often as he can. It won't make up for not being there to help Charlie out with the neighborhood bullies, but it's all Joe can do. Life is tough for a soldier, and Joe tells Charlie all about it, from long hikes in endless rain and mud to the stray dog his company adopts. But when Joe is sent on a secret mission with the one soldier he can't stand, he will have to face risks that place their mission -- and their lives -- in grave danger. Charlie knew his brother was strong, but he will discover that Joe is more of a hero than he lets on. Will Joe's letters give Charlie the strength to stand up for himself and be brave, too?

Genres: Historical Fiction, War, Middle Grade, Historical, Fiction, Childrens, World War II

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Award-winning author of books for all ages, including one that changed history and inspired the first documentary based on a nonfiction picture book.

I've had the privilege of speaking at schools and conferences in 30+ states and almost 20 countries.

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this four stars because it is one of the few chapter books about WWII that kids could read and relate to. There is not violence and no bad language.

Told in a series of letters written to his younger brother Charlie in Cleveland, Joe relates as much as he can about what life in the army is like after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The letters begin in June 1942 and run through August 1944, detailing the brother's trials and triumphs. At first, both brothers are dealing with bullies who are making their already difficult live more difficult. But Joe is also dealing with uncomfortable conditions in England where he is training for the D-Day invasion.

Most of the letters are from Joe to Charlie and cover things like spending Thanksgiving with an English family who, he is sure, have used all their rations to make a dinner for him. Or the constant rain and mud and the problems with Matt, an arrogant bully. Of course, there is the stray dog who adopts these GIs, and catching a German spy that gets them in trouble instead of the praise they expected.

Along the way, Joe makes references to what Charlie has written about things at home and there is a lot of talk about Superman and what makes a hero. Superman, you may remember, was created by two friends living in Cleveland, namely Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Like all epistolary novels, the reader is asked to fill in a lot of blanks, but by the end of the book, young readers will really understand what does make a person a hero but begging the question - which brother is the hero or are they both? Definitely, something to think about.

This is a good book for younger readers interested in WWII (and I am always surprised to discover how many of them there are), and is especially good for classroom use. There are lots of interesting references that could lead to some wonderful discussions and classroom activities. Of course, it would be a nice book for kids to read on their own, as well. The language is simple, there are no difficult concepts that could confuse young readers and no wartime violence that might upset some sensitive kids.

One thing that did bother me was the part where Joe writes to Charlie about a secret mission he was on with his nemesis, Matt. They were assigned to drive an army vehicle to another base and not stop or look at the tarp-covered cargo they were carrying. Well, as it happens that's when they caught that German spy, and needed to use the tarp so they could walk in torrential rain to the base, leaving the vehicle behind. To his surprise, Charlie realizes that the cargo is an inflatable jeep, to be used to fool the enemy during the D-Day invasion. Inflatables were indeed used and part of what was called the Ghost Army, but I seriously doubt that Charlie would be writing home about it, given all the previous mention of censors reading letters. The information in that letter would never have made it to Cleveland.

But the Ghost Army is pretty interesting, so I could actually overlook this questionable section of the novel in order to introduce the topic to kids. After all, what could be more intriguing to young readers than the idea of a ghost army. I posted a link to this article in The Atlantic about the Ghost Army, but I'll include it again HERE, too.

This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was sent to me by the publisher, Scholastic Press

This review was originally posted on The Children's War

[Leigh Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brave Like My Brother is a great book for early chapter book readers. It is written as a series of letters between two brothers, one who has been drafted during WWII, the other who is standing up to a bully on the home front, and both who end up being heroes.

Favorite line, "I'm going to give this my all. But everybody's all is different."

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for younger readers who enjoy stories about war. Brave Like My Brother is written as a series of letters between Joe, who has been drafted to fight during WWII, and his little brother Charlie. Honestly, as an adult, I found the Author's Note more fascinating than the actual story--I did not know about the "ghost army" operations and inflatable tanks used as decoys, and I wish there was more information about them in the actual story.

[Max · Rating 1 out of 5]

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[Jo-Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that would help explain to some kids what it was like back in 1943 and 1944 when families were having to send their beloved young sons and brothers away when they were drafted to be a part of the Army in World War II. Through a series of letters between 2 brothers, Charlie and Joe, we find out about what life is like for Joe, the older brother who was drafted and deployed to England, and Charlie, the 10 year old brother he left behind. The book is heartfelt and written well. I feel it would be a great book for young teens and kids to learn from.

[Steve B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on the recommendation of my 4th grade grandson...how could I refuse! The book is about 2 brothers during WWII. Joe, the older brother, promises to write his little brother, Charlie, letters after he is called upon to serve in the Army. Joe's letters give hope and assurance to Charlie.

This is a great book for young readers as the lessons of courage,
friendship, and family are dealt with in a manner that will be very appealing !

[Margaret Bussan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great way to tie in historical events into the classroom lessons. We used this along with The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco. My students enjoyed the letter format and it allowed for me toteach inference in a little different way. Students were able to infer what was happening for Charlie based on what Joe's letters would say. It was great for discussions in class.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical fiction book is incredibly emotional and heartfelt. Written in the form of letters between two brothers, where each chapter is a letter from one brother to the other, it captures the fear and anxiety of both as they face the challenges they are up against. The younger of the two brothers, Charlie, writes about how he must face bullies in his neighborhood and how he wishes he was as brave as his older brother Joe. Joe writes back about his life is as a soldier in World War II, then about the dangers he must face when asked to take part in a difficult mission. There was a line in the book that stood out the most to me, “War is just life with bigger bullies.” This is written by Joe in response to Charlie discussing his bully issue. This book is incredible, it shows how brave you can be when faced with danger or with bullying. I loved how it was written, giving time to both main characters and outlining their experiences through their own eyes.That style gives the readers a sense of being there with them, reliving those moments. This book main theme is bravery, and the things we are willing to do even if in harms way, to help those around us or to stand up to those who bully us. I think this should be added to every library in a reading class or a history class.
Review written by Adam Surgeon

[Jennifer Notton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book, Brave Like My Brother, by Marc Tyler Nobleman. is about a boy named Charlie who's big brother ( His role model) is going to the military. This is really hard for Charlie. In the beginning of thee book, Joe, who is Charlie’s brother, trains so hard for combat. He meets new people along his way like Matt. Meanwhile, his brother Charlie is at home getting picked on in Cleveland, Ohio. Joe misses his family very much and wishes he was home until he has to do something very dangerous.

The problem of this story is that Charlie is missing Joe because Joe is in the military. Charlie is struggling being tough against the bully's. Joe struggles also being away from home because every day he wonders if they will put him is combat. Also other characters such as Matt feels lonely without his family. All the characters all are in common because they all are home sick.

Finally I would recommend this book to people who like war or adventure because this book has a lot of it. I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 because there wasn’t a lot of cliffhangers. Also I didn’t get a lot of Charlie's perspective and it was all about Joe. The positives about this book is that I like learning more about the tough things soldiers have to go through. Also this book is kind of sad that that's what people are going through now.

[Case C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave Like My Brother by Marc Tyler Nobleman
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good historical fiction book. The book is very interesting to read because it tells you about a soldiers side of the war. I give the book a 5 star rating because I enjoyed reading it because it was entertaining. This historical fiction book tells you about details of a life of the solider. The book is about two brothers, Joe and Charlie, and their letters to each other during the war. Most of the book is Joe's letters to Charlie about the life of a solider and how hard the war was. Joe got drafted into the army and was sent overseas to Britain. Joe is sent on a mission with Matt, who he doesn't really like. On the way to deliver the cargo mission, they got a flat tire and got caught by a spy. Matt goes the after the spy to catch him and gets hurt. Joe has to get them to camp but they have to leave the cargo behind. They get in trouble and have to return for the cargo the next day and it is still there. In the end, Charlie reads his final letter that he wrote to Joe and we find out that Joe got hurt and makes it out of the war. Matt didn't make it. Charlie is happy that he gets to see his brother again.

[Cooper S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave like my Brother by Marc Tyler Nobleman is a book with two characters Joe and Charlie. Joe is the older brother and Charlie is the younger brother. They talk to each other by sending letters because Joe is fighting in the World war 2. Charlie keeps Joe filled in about what's going on at home. Joe writes to Charlie and tells him about what they have been doing over in Britain and about an order to transport secret cargo and a German spy they had to capture. This book is historical fiction because the characters and stories may not be real but World war 2 was real. I give this book a 5 star rating because it is a good story. and is a quick reading book. I recommend this book to whoever likes war and history.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be considered a high-interest, low-challenge book, which I often need for my struggling students. The cover design and the subject matter make the book appear right for a 5th or 6th grade reader (or older reader in the right circumstances), but the reading challenge is closer to 3rd/4th grade. So when you need historical fiction for a struggling reader, this is a good choice. The story is told through letters, and manages to be engaging, with some believable adventure. Not graphically violent.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe's letters home to younger brother Charlie during World War II reveal not only a fascinating part of history but a touching relationship between two brothers. Told entirely in letters, this book would make a great read aloud for the classroom and could be used as a writing model. The portrayal of war is neither too sugar coated or too frightening for upper elementary students. This is a fine piece of historical fiction I hope will be available in classrooms and school libraries everywhere.

[Michelle (MichellesBookishLife)]

It is 1942 during World War II. Joe is a soldier in the war, and he and his 10-year-old brother Charlie are writing letters to each other to keep in touch. Joe tells Charlie all about what it’s like to be a soldier, and Charlie knows that his brother is brave. However, when Joe is sent on a secret mission, Charlie learns just how brave his brother really is. Can Charlie be brave and fight his own bullies at home without his brother by his side? Read Brave Like My Brother by Marc Tyler Nobleman to find out.

[Manette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this at a used book sale and it is a nice purchase for my home library for children. The story is written in the form of letters from a soldier to a younger brother at home. The letters are fictional but based upon events of World War II.

I like the lesson ten-year-old, Charlie learns in the end through his perception of his big brother, Joe. The author notes at the end are a nice conclusion to the story detailing facts from fiction and encouraging the reader to do further research on some topics.

[Kamren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book I felt bad when his brother had to leave and he gets bulled that's not right but more into the book made it more interesting because his brother was telling him everything except where the place was and Joe get shot in his leg thankfully it did not him anywhere else one part I didn't really like was when a few chapters where only Joe was talking Charlie is cool I like how the explained everything so good. 5 stars

[Mrs. Galway · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easier read (grade 5+) written in letter form. Although it begins with a letter from his younger brother Charlie, the book follows Joe as he is sent off to fight in WWII. He writes letters to his younger brother explaining what he is going through, from basic training to marching to the front lines. This is a light read for those who are interested in historical fiction books about WWII.

[Betsy Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nominee for 2018-2019 Volunteer State Book Awards. This is an epistolary novel, entirely made up of letters between two brothers; one in England during WWII, & one younger brother dealing with bullies at home in Cleveland. This would be a good transition book for students trying to get into chapter books without pictures. It has good historical content and reminds me a bit of the “I Survived” series. I finished it in about 40 minutes & found it enjoyable!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this for my 9 yr. old to read. What a fantastic story. It’s written as letters, mostly from an older brother to his little brother back home, as he’s serving in the UK during WW2 leading up to D-Day. It talks about the horrors of war in a kid-friendly manner while being super engaging. I even learned something....

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with my 8 year old son Jackson who loves all things WWII. Story is exchange of letters between two brothers during the war. Good read for younger kids interested in war as there is no bad language (aside from crude "Butt-for-Brains" nickname) and no violence (exception is a brawl with a captured German spy). Not exceptionally well written but did keep my son's interest.

[Viola · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Charlie's older brother,Joe goes away to war they write each other letters. While hearing about Joe's life in letters Charlie has to deal with bullies, without Joe's help. Can Charlie handle it?

[Amy Varchetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy-to-read WW2 fiction, as a boys writes letters back and forth with his brother who is serving in the U.S. military. Give this one to reluctant/young readers who need to read a historical fiction selection. There are better options for historical fiction lovers or more advanced readers.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slight in content, but some interesting historical information. A neat structure for a kids' book in that we only see the letters from one of the brothers for most of the novel and have to infer what's happening with the brother left at home.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This will be a good option for some of our 4th grade historical fiction readers who aren’t ready for longer, more complex books. It will give them an accessible choice for reading about World War II.

[J. S. Seebauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was delightful. I loved the method of storytelling (letter writing) which is how families did communicate in WWII. I loved the unraveling of the connection between the brothers, and the honesty of the brother serving. I am definitely recommending, once I have it, to my students!

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters written to an older brother during WWII. It was good, but I expected it to be letters between the brothers. I was actually only letters from one brother to the other.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick historical fiction read. I liked the letter format, and it was engaging. I also learned a few things I didn't know about WWII.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read about a boy getting letters from his brother who is fighting in WW2. Perfect for Grade 2 or 3

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very moving, and includes lots of info from a soliders usual perspective of the war.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this historical fiction! A simple text that brings in a lot of history for kids. Written in letter form, grabs the readers attention and holds it right up to the end!