Across Five Aprils

Today, we will begin reading the novel "Across Five Aprils", by Irene Hunt.

Across Five Aprils is a historical novel about a boy who grows up during the Civil War. Jethro's family farms in Southern Illinois and is divided about which side of the war to support. Two of his brothers fight for the North and one fights for the South. The remaining family members face trouble from the community because of the brother who went South. When Jethro's father has a heart attack, Jethro has to become the man of the family and the main farmer. He is a sensitive boy and hears of the war through letters, finding out that it is not a pleasant experience. By writing a letter to Abraham Lincoln, his hero, Jethro helps his cousin who deserted the Northern army. By the end of the novel, an enlightened Jethro comes to the realization of the horrors of war.

At the end of each chapter, write a 1 to 2 paragraph summary.