Helpful Score: 3
This is an excellent book, bringing the Civil War into a sharp focus for mid to late elementary students. Hunt provides ample detail to give the reader a clear picture of the battles/skirmishes, life of the soldier, and life of those left behind as their husbands/brothers/sons went off to fight. However, the detail is provided in a tasteful manner without including the full attrocities of the battles themselves. This book really brought home the lessons that the Civil War had/has to teach us. And the manner in which it was done was engaging and thought-provoking. It is a must read for all kids studying the Civil War as it goes beyond mere dates and names to really bring the reader alongside the characters.
Helpful Score: 2
Very enjoyable book about a young boy living through the Civil War. I'm an adult and I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book meant for young readers.
A Newbery Medal Runner-up. The unforgettable story of young Jethro Creighton who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Americal Civil War.
This is a really good historical novel about boy durring the American Civil War. This comming of age novel was givin to me when I was in Middle School and I think I read it twice in one month.
The unforgettable story of young Jethro Creighton who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Civil War. "This is a beautifully written book, filled with bloodshed, hate, and tears, but also with love, loyalty, and compassion with unforgettable characters, with ideas and implications that have meanings for young people today." - Chicago Tribune
A classic on the Civil War. A must read.
The unforgettable story of young Jethro Creighton who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Civil War.
i thought that this book was pretty good but slow in some places.it is also a little hard to read.
back cover has two long crease- cover has a few sreases also
a must read book set in the civil war time period
Excellent book for a civil war unit study.
An Unforgettable story of young Jethro Creighton who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Civil War.
An unusual and compelling treatment of the American Civil War from the perspective of a thirteen-year-old living on the southern edge of a northern border state.
Excellent historical fiction of the Civil War! Highly recommend.
Very good account of the effects of the Civil War on young people and communities.
My fourth grade teacher first read this book to me and back then I couldn't comprehend the struggle and the irony associated with this time and the war. This book takes place during the Civil War and it involves a family who is divided. Some family members are fighting for the South and some family members are fighting for the North.
This book will make eveyone young and old think.
This book will make eveyone young and old think.
great historical fiction book for kids
I really enjoyed this book. It is well written, and entertaining. It is very easy to get into the life of this boy and what he is feeling. Well worth reading, even for adults.
Grades 4-8--This beautifully written novel offers valuable insights into the difficulties faced by families and communities caught up in the political, economic, and personal upheavals of war. The events of the Civil War unfold Across Five Aprils (Berkley Pub., 1986) in this moving story by Newbery Award winner, Irene Hunt. It is set in southern Illinois where Jethro Creighton, an intelligent, hardworking boy, is growing into manhood as his brothers and a beloved teacher leave to fight in the Union and Confederate armies. Hunt presents a balanced look at both sides of the conflict, and includes interesting information on lesser-known leaders and battles. Of course, Abraham Lincoln is a frequent topic of conversation, and Jethro even receives a letter from his fellow Illinoian. Narrator Tom Stechschulte captures the richness of the regional dialogue and blends it with a careful reading of the story's descriptive passages. Sound reproduction is good, and the hard plastic case can be processed easily for circulation. Across Five Aprils adds a valuable new perspective to audiobook collections that already have works such as Fleischman's Bull Run (HarperCollins, 1993), and Pinkney's Silent Thunder: A Civil War Story (Hyperion, 1999). Students studying the Civil War have much to gain from this recording because it goes beyond historical fiction to show the value of family love and loyalty.
I enjoyed this book for my son and I in our literature program when we were studying the Civil War. It told what it was like in the during that time from the perspective of 12 year old left home with the parents and an older sister on the farm in Illinois. The older brothers went off to war and were not in favor of the same side. What I really liked about this story, was that it was based on her grandfather's memories of the Civil war.
This is a Newbery Medal Honor Book about a young man who comes of age during the Civil War. Suitable for teenagers.
Fanastic read... classic Civil War novel - great read aloud. Newbery Honor Winner
A newberry medal honor book. A sure classic written in the time of the Civil War.
EXCELLENT READING!
"An impressive book both as a historically authenticated Civil War novel and as a beautifully written family story....The realistic treatment of the intricate emotional conflicts within a border-state family is superb. The details of battles and compaigns are deftly integrated into letters and conversations, and the characters are completely convincing." UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Love this one! Sigh!
Newberry Medal Honor Book
Great book, have somehow wound up with two copies of it though!
