Across Five Aprils, written by Irene Hunt, is a novel about a family of 7 that lived on a small farm in Illinois. That explains about Irene Hunt's grandfather Jethro that lived threw the Civil War.
             The story takes place between the North and the South in Illinois of April 1861. This was a major time because it was the start of the Civil War.
             There were several influential characters in the book. Each had there own opinion of the Civil War. Shadrach Yale, Jethro's teacher and friend. He helps Jethro learn to read and talk proper English. Ross Milton, defends Jethro from remarks about Bill's loyalties. He also takes an interest in Jethro's education, giving him a text book to accelerate his knowledge in proper grammer. Bill Creighton Jethro's favorite brother. Bill toils over his decision of whether to fight for the north or the south. And Jethro Creighton, a young boy who thinks the war is kind of neat, imagining horses, trumpets, and polished brass instruments. Throughout the book he not only loses that glamorous image, but he comes to understand that the war is an unrelenting force that propels him and everyone else forward without mercy. Jethro is hurled from boyhood into manhood, as he assumes responsibilities left after his father has a heart attack. He is the only boy not fighting in the war, and thus he is somewhat of an outsider.
             Jethro Creighton, is young and idealistic when the Civil War begins. At first he thinks the war will be neat, full of marching soldiers and demonstrative patriotism. He learns the realities of war soon enough as he watches his three brothers, his cousin, and his teacher go off to fight. One of his brothers, Bill chooses to fight for the south in a decision that plagues him for a long time. Then during the war as things cant get no better Matt Creighton, Jethro's father has a heart attack that renders him unable to do work in the fields.
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