Across Five Aprils Book Review

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Introduction

        Across Five Aprils is a fictional novel based on the five-year civil war that occurred in our country. The main character goes by the name of Jethro Creighton, who in the beginning of the novel is a nine-year-old boy. Jethro lives on a farm in Southern Illinois with his mom, dad, sister, and four older brothers who are all close to their 20s. The time is April, 1861. War is imminent in the beginning of the novel between two parts of the country- the North and the South. President Abraham Lincoln doesn’t know which side of the nation to support and refuses week after week to start this war. People are getting angry at him and tensions between the two sides are boiling till it pops. The Confederates of the South then fire on Fort Sumter and the war begins. Jethro, not knowing the reality of war, is excited and curious. But soon Jethro regrets his excitement when all his brothers, his cousin, and his favorite school teacher, Shadrach Yale have to go off to fight. Jethro is then left all alone to take care of the huge farm when his father has a severe heart attack. After three years, all citizens lose faith in the war and are looking for peace. Everyone trusts that the President will be able to unite the nation. But in 1865, however, the President is assassinated and hopes for a happy ending are scattered. The whole nation is in woe and Jethro wonders if there ever will be peace in the US again.  

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Background

        Irene Hunt is the author of many historical books written for young people. She was born in Southern Illinois and has received degrees from the University of Illinois and the University of Minnesota. Across Five Aprils was her first novel and its purpose was to give the overall historical background of the civil war by mixing it with diverse characters to make this event in history interesting. The theme of this novel deals with the reality and the unpredictability of wars and this relates to Civics because due to this war, our country became united again and the 13th Amendment was ...

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