Interview with Erin Morris, Author of Who is Sam the Soldier?

Erin Morris is an Army veteran and former Major in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. She spent nine years in the Army and deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 with the 101st Airborne Division. Since leaving the Army, Erin continues to practice law in Colorado where she lives with her husband, also an Army veteran, and her family. In her free time, Erin volunteers to support through various outreaches and is the legal adviser to a veteran-support non-profit in Texas. Erin also enjoys traveling and adventuring in the great outdoors.

To learn more about Erin, visit her website here.

Who is Sam the Soldier?

Have you ever wondered what a soldier does? Why does he or she dress a certain way?

Private First Class Sam Smith is a soldier in the U.S. Army. Who is Sam the Soldier? written by Erin Morris and illustrated by Vipin Alex Jacob does an excellent job of explaining how Sam likes to live, work, and relax like a soldier.

When I received Who is Sam the Soldier? from Mascot Books about a month ago, I immediately loved the book! As a parent that has no military background or personal experience, I loved reading the book and sharing the information with my children. It’s so important talking to our children about the role of anyone in the armed forces. Discussing how they risk their lives every day for our country is a very important lesson to teach our children.

About the book

The book begins with a simple introduction of Sam Smith. The author takes the reader through a typical day of the soldier from sunrise to sunset. What do the ribbons mean on Sam’s uniform? Where does Sam eat? Does he relax? Who is Sam Smith also discusses the diversity of the army and how soldiers help out in many different ways both in the United States and other countries in need.

Language and Learning Tips

Who is Sam the Soldier? is an excellent springboard for conversation and learning new terms and vocabulary. As you are reading the book, stop to define key words and using thinking aloud strategies. Ask simple “wh” questions and encourage your child to comment during the story. For example, when you get the page about the ribbons on the army soldier’s uniform, ask your child, “What do you think that represents?” or more complicated questions such as “What responsibilities does an army soldier have?” Erin Morris wrote this book in a way that all children can learn and understand the material. The illustrations are wonderful and the text is bold and stands out. With the bold text, use print referencing skills to point out key words to your child to improve overall literacy.