Jethro Creighton is a 9 year old boy living on a farm in Illinois when fighting breaks out starting the Civil War. His cousin, two brothers, and schoolteacher all join the Union army while another brother joins the Confederacy. When his father suffers a heart attack, the task of running the family farm falls on young Jethro’s shoulders. The story spans the entire Civil War, five Aprils from 1861 to 1865.
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt is a bittersweet book that reminds you that war is never tied up with a tidy bow. People die or are injured or can’t come home for various reasons. The story is told very well with the focus on how the war affected those left at home. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction or the Civil War.
5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2015: 59
Pages Read in 2015: 16,543
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