1. Across Five Aprils About the Author
Irene Hunt is the author of many distinguished books for young people. Her first novel, Across Five Aprils, was a Newberry Honor Book and received a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. For her second novel, Up a Road Slowly, Ms. Hunt was awarded the Newberry Medal. Ms. Hunt was born in southern Illinois and has received degrees from the University of Illinois and the University of Colorado. For many years she taught in the public schools of northern Illinois, and later she taught psychology at the University of South Dakota. Ms. Hunt lived in Florina once she moved there in the early 1970’s. She died May 18, 2001

2. Background Information
The story is about the Creighton farm family that lives in southern Illinois during the Civil War. The story begins with Jethro Creighton, the main character who is 9 years old, and his sister Jenny is 14. The story takes place over the five years of the Civil War, April April The tale is focused on Jethro’s coming of age and his sisters as they begin their journey into adulthood.

3. Setting Information
The country was divided and families were torn apart. There could be disagreements with in a family and they could want to fight for either side.

4. Pick a side. Could you stand against your family if you disagreed with their position on the war?
Discuss at your table how you would feel in a situation where your strongly disagreed with a member(s) of your family. What would influence your position and how would you try to make those that you love understand why you disagree with them?

5. Target Learning Goals for this novel
Learning Goal: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. (7.RL.2)
Learning Goal: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). (7.RL.3)
Learning Goal: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. (7.RL.6)

6. Novel Expectations
You are responsible to keep up with reading and answering questions in
comprehension packet. The expectation is that you are completing the questions as you are reading the chapter.
You should be taking notes while we are reading: notes should include the following literary elements
Plot Progression (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution (there could be multiple conflicts)
Character Development, track how the characters grow and change through the novel
Themes and Symbols