It's 1937 and a storm is brewing over the town of Ironton, Ohio, and in the home of Pete and Gus Brinkmeyer. The two teenage brothers, once close, struggle with the growing differences in their relationship. Gus is the older and more cerebral brother, a romantic who falls for a girl his family does not approve of. He is also jealous of their father's seeming favoritism toward Pete, the more practical and physical brother. Pete struggles with the loss of his brother's friendship as Gus's jealousy and involvement with the girl drive a wedge between the two. When the Ohio River floods their town and the brothers are separated, each must discover his own strengths to survive and ultimately heal the fracture. Celebrated historical novelist Kathy Wiechman looks into her own family's history to create unforgettable characters caught up in a catastrophic, life-changing event. Includes an extensive author's note outlining the history behind the story.

 

This book has been graded for interest at 9-12 years.

There are 240 pages in this book. This book was published 2017 by Boyds Mills Press .

Kathy Cannon Wiechman traveled to Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia (the site of Andersonville Prison), Virginia, Tennessee, and Mississippi to research and write Like a River. She also attended several Civil War reenactments and learned to load and fire a muzzleloader. This is her debut novel. She lives in Cincinnati with her family not far from the Ohio River.