Summary of Across five Aprils by: Irene Hunt

Taking place in Southern Illinois, Irene Hunt wrote a story of a young boy, Jethro Creighton, who learns the true values in life and what it means to leave his childish ways behind and embrace growing up into strong hearted young man when his family really needs him. At just the age of nine Jethro learns about the Civil war starting and slowly progressing. The reality of the war slaps him in the face once his beloved brother Bill, who he is extremely close to and looks greatly up to, leaves to fight for the South. His other two brothers, Tom and Eb, also leave and his father Matt, who is aging quickly from the stress and anxiety, can’t take on the tasks he normally does. Jeth, who is still full of excitement, readily takes on the job of taking a trip out of town to get some items the family really needs. After a near death experience and taking on the great responsibility, the boy who left the farm, has come back a young man. Throughout the story Jethro works hardly from dawn to dusk on the farm his family lives on, and the light of the little boy slowly fades away. Jeth grows closer to his sister Jenny who is only a couple years older than him. Jenny falls in love with Shad, a close family friend and Jeth’s teacher, who is another victim of being sucked into the horrors of the war. Jeth and his family drag along as the war goes on much longer than it was expected to. In this period, each person is greatly affected by the sadness, tragedies, disappointment, and faded hope take place in each persons’ hearts. Find out each characters feelings and the different point of views as the author tells this story in third person. Read this Newbery medal honor book to experience along with the characters first hand what life is like to live during a war. See how Jethro grows into a strong hearted young man and he keeps the light and hope deep in his heart of the war ending and how he shows his compassion for his family and develops the true importance of family, relationships, and a never dying hope.