Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

Across Five Aprils By Irene Hunt

Across Five April's by Irene Hunt is about how the civil war tears apart a family during the hard times of the civil war. There were 239 pages it this story. The book follows the life of Jethro Creighton, a young farm boy in rural Illinois as he grows from a protected and provided for nine year old, to a educated and respectable young adult during the chaos of the civil war.

In the beginning of the book Jethro has an incorrect idea of what war is like. Jethro knows little about war except that of what he has heard from old war heroes tales. His brothers get packed away one by one to different sides of the war. Not until then does he realize through conversation at home and haunting letters from his brothers on the battle field, the true horror of war. One brother (whom is only really an orphaned cousin) is a deserter.

Jethro writes to Abraham Lincoln in a effort to keep his brother and family out of trouble with the law. Another one of Jethro's brothers joins the confederacy which goes against all opinions and beliefs formed by the Creighton family and surrounding community. At first the Creightons disagree but they come to a decision and decide to respect and accept his choice of beliefs . This causes an upset with surrounding neighbors and they become destructive and rude. Attempts to ruin the life of the Creighton family are made because of their decision.

Meanwhile his sister Jenny wishes to marry Shadrach Yale before he leaves for war. Even though he is a very close friend of the family, her father declines their request because he feels she is too young and won't allow her to marry Shadrach or anyone. He and Jenny continue to plan a wedding and he writes Jenny from his station on the battle field and further tension grows between the family and Shadrach's intentions of marrying. Through all the confusion and fighting Jethro somehow manages to form his own ideas and opinions that create the new and more mature adult in him. His ideas and thoughts are more complete and he is no longer the childish nine year old who was excited for war to start. This is all relevant to the fact that the war had caused him and his family a great deal of pain and distress.