Rating: 
Summary: BORING
Review: Across Five Aprils was probably the worst book I have ever read in my life. The book was so boring, and hard to follow. I had to read each chapter a few times to underestand what was going on. I do not think that any kid should have to read this for school.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best Civil War book, but certainly worth reading.
Review: It is a pretty good book, I enjoyed it. Irene Hunt did a great job of telling what happened to families. Jethro was the only kid left after Tom, Eb, and Bill went to war. You always hear alot of families split by the war and brothers fighting against brothers and it's true and this book describes it well. Although The Killer Angels was a better war book this book is definately worth your time reading.
Rating: 
Summary: The words on the pages seemed to have come alive in my mind.
Review: I will never forget this book. It is the best book that I have ever read. Since I've read it, I have bought myself my own copy, recomended it to many, bought two other books by Irene Hunt(The Lottery Rose and No Promises in the Wind), and have looked at reading in a different way. I would recomened it to anyone. It was just simply unforgetable and amazing. It brought tears to my eyes. The words on the pages seemed to have come alive in my mind. I wish it would have never ended.
Rating:
Summary: this book is not good
Review: This is the worste book i've ever read in my life, save youself and don't read it. My life is permenently scared and i'll never be the same again. My friend Marcos tried to comit suiside because the book was so bad.
Rating: 
Summary: A book for Civil War lovers but not kids.
Review: It was a boring but informable book. Only someone that likes Civil War History could like it. I read it for school and it just about bored me to death. The slang talk and the writing was the worst. It made the book seem like it was writen by a five year old. it is not the best book for middle schoolers like me but maybe for an adult or someone that likes American History.
Rating: 
Summary: BORDER FAMILY SPLIT IN TWO
Review: This historical novel starts slowly; it also takes some getting used to the dialogue, which is written in rural dialect--liberally dispersed throughout the 12 chapters, but it is well worth the visual effort. We are introduced to a poor farm family in southern Illinois--a border state which is divided between Dixie and the Union, over issues such as Slavery and Secession. As war clouds rumble and decades of social and political friction ignite the War between the States, towns and even famlies are rent asunder by conflicting loyalties. If a man is going to risk his life for a cause, he ought to believe in it, but should his family suffer for that individual decision? Jethro is only 9 when the book opens, but his childhood is quickly terminated by disastrous national events which impact heavily on both his community and his large family. Tempers run high in the pro-Union town; some vicious hotheads resent the fact that one of Jethro's brothers joined up with the Re! bs. The boy and his entire family are persecuted for that action, even though other brothers join the Union army. One wrote home describing a battle: "the suferin and scenes of death was sech to make a mans hart hate war." Which seems to be a major theme in this novel. Jethro comes of age too quickly during the five Aprils (or years) that span the Civil War. As the only able-bodied male left on the farm, he gradually assumes an increasingly adult role; still he deeply misses not only his brothers, but his sister's beau Shadrah, the gentle schoolmaster, who encourges him in geting an edcuation. With so many brothers invovled in the war, it is inevitable that some will not return. The story of the Creighton family is intense and holds one's attention, but excessive historical detail makes for uneven pacing, as though the author really wanted to write a treatise on the cause, horrors and course of the war--disguised as a novel. This book provides in-depth tre! atment of our great national shame, as well as a gripping p! ersonal story about ficitious characters who are very real. Hunt discusses such serious issues as slavery, Lincoln's two elections, Sherman's March to the Sea, Emancipation, Lincoln's assassination and the seesaw careers of various Generals. These details contribute to our complete unerstanding of the drama of the times, but water down the intensity of the storyline. Still I would recommend this book to any student of the Civil War, for the plot holds the reader's interest as we grow to care about this one, socially- insignificant family. A good introduciton to the Civil War era in a literary package.
Rating:
Summary: Good book; Sad
Review: Across Five Aprils is a very good, easy to read book. If you want a feel for what some familes went through during the Civil War, then you should read this book. If you only want dates and battle descriptions, this is not the book for you. Across Five Aprils gives you a perspective of the Civil War through the eyes of a nine year old boy. One who had to grow up quick and watch his family torn apart. These things really did happen and I couldn't stop thinking about my nephew, and how I'm glad he isn't having to face the same type of problems that Jethro had to face. This book should really be on school reading lists.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a microcosm of the war and its effect.
Review: Young adult readers may find that the book is boring, but this is usually because they do not read well or do not like to read. Jethro is a character that meets all of the requirements of a hero. The events reflect the treatment given families who suffered from division and prejudice. The local ruffians remind one of the Klan and their activities after the war in the South. Those who call the book boring have no understanding of the history of their country. If you are lead through the first two chapters, you then become engrossed in the story of Jethro and should learn a great deal about the worse war in our history and how we treated our own citizens.
Rating:
Summary: To Bore or Not to Bore.
Review: If there's one word that describes this book it's BORING! C'mon, Irene could've losened it up a bit and made it barely exciting! There's like twenty charecters you need to keep track of with dumb vocabulary like, "Them taters better be bedded." Jeez!
Rating:
Summary: Ennui (Look it up @ you will see what I mean!)
Review: The book Across Five Aprils was really hard to get into. I ended up reading the first chapter four times before I even remotely understood it. Perhaps it is because my knowledge of the Civil War is not quite extensive--but how could that be? I have studied the Civil War for countless hours and have read many books on the topic. All I really want to say, I guess, is that if you are going to read this book, it is best to have a good handle on the Civil War and to like to re-read passages. (This was written with all due respect to Ms. Hunt and her novel.)
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