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A Newbery Medal honor novel, Across Five Aprils portrays division in a Southern Illinois family during the Civil War. Readers are introduced to the Creighton family in April 1861 and follow their lives as the sons leave to fight in the war, the father dies of a heart attack, and the youngest son is left to work the family farm. The story closes in April 1865, after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Springtime’s hope and optimism is present as the youngest son has the chance to move east and get a good education. The novel reflects family frailties and the difficulty of growing up against a background of political upheaval. Key themes include the futility of aggression, leadership, loyalty, and problem solving.
Students analyze characters, symbolism, and conflicts; discuss examples of simile, metaphor, and dialect; and explore connotation, elegy, and free verse. Students research the many references to Civil War battles and events, including using an atlas to identify locations and using other sources to discover more about information about slavery and tariffs. They also research leaders of the Civil War and participate in a debate on which side had the superior leadership.
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