A Guide for Using Across Five Aprils in the Classroom
by Dona Herweck Rice
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Book Summary Information
Author: Dona Herweck RiceEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1999-04-01
ISBN: 1576903338
Number of pages: 48
Publisher: Teacher Created Resources
Book Reviews of A Guide for Using Across Five Aprils in the Classroom
Book Review: Excellent historical novel
Summary: 5 Stars
I am sorry to hear that several readers who have written reviews of this book consider it a difficult book or, as one reviewer stated, a novel that only a "genius" could understand. Perhaps those readers mistakenly chose this book for a 5th grade U.S. history reading level instead of an 8th grade U.S. history reading level. It is not appropriate for a 5th grader unless the student is a very advanced and sophisticated reader. There are many details about the Civil War era discussed in this book in such a way that it seems the author expects the reader to be familiar with the topic--at least the basics! I don't think it is an appropriate novel for a student to read unless he or she has received some basic instruction in and understanding of the timeline and political events from 1860 to 1865. I doubt that such political and historical material is covered in the standard 5th grade U.S. History curriculum. However, such material should definitely be covered in most textbooks and curricular materials for 8th grade U.S. History, the grade level for which this novel seems to be appropriate. Irene Hunt's novel, Across Five Aprils, takes place in Illinois, a state that considered itself a "free state" in the pre-Civil War period. However, the Creighton family (the characters who are the focus of the novel) includes some members who are staunch defenders of the North and others who are less sure of the moral high ground of the free states and therefore choose to fight with the Rebel cause instead. The book does an excellent job of illustrating the impact of such a decision on a family whose sons turned against the North no matter how many other sons they had fighting for and giving their lives for the Union cause. This is a complex book that encourages readers to ask questions about which side (North or South) was right and which was wrong during the Civil War. Across Five Aprils is essentially a coming of age story combined with a historical consideration of the main themes and events of the Civil War--a brutal war that brought out the most heroic as well as the basest instincts in people. Many tragic events befall the Creighton family, but their courage and endurance in the face of four years of horrible war is admirable. I really liked the members of the Creighton family. All of them change--some for the better, some not. The emotional lives of the characters are believably depicted so that their actions are understandable. A bonus in my opinion is the consistent attention that the author pays to the setting with her great descriptive language about seasons, the surroundings, and the weather. All in all, a fine book for an 8th grade U.S. History curriculum or for someone familiar with the Civil War and its cultural/historical significance.
Summary of A Guide for Using Across Five Aprils in the Classroom
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