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Not on Fifth Street
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.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 16, 2019
I enjoyed reading this novel. I love a book that will pull me in and keep me reading. As a busy mom with kids it's challenging to find time to finish a novel within days, but I was able to dive into this one and do just that. I was born and raised overseas, but have a lot of family from, and who still live in and around, Ironton. My parents are retired and now live in a house on 5th Street and go to church at St Joe, so it was interesting reading a book set in a familiar town.
Kathy did a wonderful job of researching the era, the history and brought to life the family dynamic, and how they would have handled the rising flood waters during that time.
Kathy did a wonderful job of researching the era, the history and brought to life the family dynamic, and how they would have handled the rising flood waters during that time.
August 15, 2024
A fictional story based on life events about a 1937 Ohio flood.
2 brothers each doing what they can to save their family
2 brothers each doing what they can to save their family
April 30, 2024
The only MPG listed for this book was Historical Fiction, but it could have been listed as middle-grade as well. The book is told from the POV of two brothers, whose parents are strict Catholic, and the boys are at odds because of a Protestant girl. Part One is from Pete's POV and Part Two is from Gus'.
The Ohio River flooded in January of 1937 dubbed the 'Great Flood of 1937.' The Ohio River had flooded many times, but never got as far as Fifth Street, and no one expected it to get as far this time. The book is in two parts, each from the point of view of two brothers. Pete's POV is Part One, while Gus' is Part Two. Gus is the older brother, who is book smart and Pete the younger and is more of the mechanical mind and a problem-solver.
The book starts with the brothers at odds because Gus met a girl from Russell, KY, just over the bridge from Ironton, OH where they live. Venus is Protestant while the Brinkmeyers are Catholic. The New Year's meal became strained when they found out and forbade Gus to see her solely because she was of a different religion. When the rain starts their father asks Gus to go with him to help with the sandbags, but that becomes a lost cause as this time it is too much water, and the National Guard tells them to stop and go to a shelter. Pete is at home with his mother, younger brother, and sister, and they are watching things there. Some of the actions taken by Pete happened, and the family of the book's author did those things, such as taking the motor out of the refrigerator and taking it to higher ground so that it wouldn't be damaged. The decisions made by Pete made his parents proud as he had saved a lot of things by deciding to take things to the second floor of the home. They still had a mess to clean up from the mud and the silt, but they did not lose their house like their friend Richie Weber who lived on Second Street.
Gus in the meantime, went across the bridge to where Venus lived and got her and her family to come back to Ironton with him to shelter. While both brothers did things differently, they did keep their wits about them and helped save people and property. Most of the time the characters are outside in the rain, whether helping with the sandbags, getting others to safety, or in a rowboat in the rain to get out of the water and into a nice warm home/building.
The author's father Albert Cannon lived in the house on Fifth Street where the author bases the story and gives more particulars and tells which things happened in the story. She took memories that her family spoke of often and turned them into a wonderful story of communities coming together to help their own.
The Ohio River flooded in January of 1937 dubbed the 'Great Flood of 1937.' The Ohio River had flooded many times, but never got as far as Fifth Street, and no one expected it to get as far this time. The book is in two parts, each from the point of view of two brothers. Pete's POV is Part One, while Gus' is Part Two. Gus is the older brother, who is book smart and Pete the younger and is more of the mechanical mind and a problem-solver.
The book starts with the brothers at odds because Gus met a girl from Russell, KY, just over the bridge from Ironton, OH where they live. Venus is Protestant while the Brinkmeyers are Catholic. The New Year's meal became strained when they found out and forbade Gus to see her solely because she was of a different religion. When the rain starts their father asks Gus to go with him to help with the sandbags, but that becomes a lost cause as this time it is too much water, and the National Guard tells them to stop and go to a shelter. Pete is at home with his mother, younger brother, and sister, and they are watching things there. Some of the actions taken by Pete happened, and the family of the book's author did those things, such as taking the motor out of the refrigerator and taking it to higher ground so that it wouldn't be damaged. The decisions made by Pete made his parents proud as he had saved a lot of things by deciding to take things to the second floor of the home. They still had a mess to clean up from the mud and the silt, but they did not lose their house like their friend Richie Weber who lived on Second Street.
Gus in the meantime, went across the bridge to where Venus lived and got her and her family to come back to Ironton with him to shelter. While both brothers did things differently, they did keep their wits about them and helped save people and property. Most of the time the characters are outside in the rain, whether helping with the sandbags, getting others to safety, or in a rowboat in the rain to get out of the water and into a nice warm home/building.
The author's father Albert Cannon lived in the house on Fifth Street where the author bases the story and gives more particulars and tells which things happened in the story. She took memories that her family spoke of often and turned them into a wonderful story of communities coming together to help their own.
January 17, 2018
Not on Fifth Street tells the story of the Great Flood of 1937 from the perspective of brothers Gus and Pete, who live on Fifth Street in Ironton, Ohio. Located on the Ohio River, the town of Ironton has experienced flooding before, but on this occasion, the flood waters reached places they never had before eventually reaching as far as Fifth Street. The book begins on New Years Day. Gus has invited Venus, a girl who he has fallen for, to have dinner with his family. During the dinner, Pete asks her some questions to make conversation, and it turns out that Venus’s family is not Catholic and that her mother is divorced. This is not OK with the parents, who tell Gus after Venus has gone home that he is not to see her anymore, and Gus blames Pete for asking all of those pesky questions. Days and days of rain and melting snow follow, and the river begins to rise. Dad takes Gus with him to help with the town’s effort to fill sandbags and prevent flooding and says that they may be gone for a few days and Pete should take care of things while they are away. This is unusual because Pete is usually the one to help their father with work outside and around the house, while Gus is more bookish and not used to that kind of work. It turns out both boys are met with challenges they could never have imagined as the river continues to rise and cause flooding all the way up on Fifth Street!
It makes sense that a novel set in 1937 would have a very old-timey feel to it, but this book almost feels like it was written in a bygone era. With expressions like, “That’s enough of your applesauce!” and “Go chase yourself,” readers will quickly get the sense that they are experiencing a different time period. This was a time when conveniences like telephones and electricity existed but couldn’t be relied upon like they are today, and most news was obtained on the radio or from the newspaper. Gender roles and stereotypes of the time period are also firmly entrenched to the point where adult women are less capable of making decisions than adolescent boys. Though I appreciated the author’s desire to set the scene in a way that was historically accurate, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and was especially annoyed by the incompetent women in the book. Though the rising flood waters should provide a sense of tension and urgency, the plot moves slowly especially in the first half of the book told from Pete’s perspective. The second half of the book, told from Gus’s point of view, provides a little more excitement, but I suspect many teen readers will put the book down before they get to that point. The brothers seem to be in their early teen years which would suggest a YA audience; however, the book reads more like a children’s or middle-grade novel. Even with the local connection, this would be a hard sell in my high school library.
It makes sense that a novel set in 1937 would have a very old-timey feel to it, but this book almost feels like it was written in a bygone era. With expressions like, “That’s enough of your applesauce!” and “Go chase yourself,” readers will quickly get the sense that they are experiencing a different time period. This was a time when conveniences like telephones and electricity existed but couldn’t be relied upon like they are today, and most news was obtained on the radio or from the newspaper. Gender roles and stereotypes of the time period are also firmly entrenched to the point where adult women are less capable of making decisions than adolescent boys. Though I appreciated the author’s desire to set the scene in a way that was historically accurate, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and was especially annoyed by the incompetent women in the book. Though the rising flood waters should provide a sense of tension and urgency, the plot moves slowly especially in the first half of the book told from Pete’s perspective. The second half of the book, told from Gus’s point of view, provides a little more excitement, but I suspect many teen readers will put the book down before they get to that point. The brothers seem to be in their early teen years which would suggest a YA audience; however, the book reads more like a children’s or middle-grade novel. Even with the local connection, this would be a hard sell in my high school library.
February 16, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for NOT ON FIFTH STREET, which I received from the MA youth services blog in exchange for an honest review.
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Gus and Pete Brinkmeyer are brothers, but they have very little in common. Gus is academic and starting to have an interest in a girl, Venus. Pete is more hands-on, loves helping his dad around the house and doesn't understand why Pete is moon-faced over a girl. Then it won't stop raining and it's hard to focus on anything else. The Ohio River begins to rise and the boys' father asks Gus to go with him to work on adding sandbags to the riverfront. Pete is frustrated he isn't asked to go, but then he is consumed with trying to protect his mother and two younger siblings from the rising water in the basement, the food shortages and the need to safeguard their possessions. Will the Great Flood of 1937 tear the Brinkmeyer family apart?
I found this book very engaging and well-written. The first half is told from Pete's perspective and the second half is from Gus's perspective. While at first this frustrated me, it made sense once I read the book. Many of the chapters end with cliff hangers and there is a surprise in Gus's section that readers will find fascinating. This is a well-done window into a specific historical moment that required great courage, perseverance and bravery.
Students who enjoy learning about little known historical moments OR students who enjoy survival stories will enjoy this book. The format was a little surprising; when I got to the end of Pete's section I was surprised to go back in time to read Gus's section. I think students will adjust pretty quickly. Most elementary and middle schools should buy this book, especially those trying to build up their historical fiction.
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_*_*_*_*_*
Gus and Pete Brinkmeyer are brothers, but they have very little in common. Gus is academic and starting to have an interest in a girl, Venus. Pete is more hands-on, loves helping his dad around the house and doesn't understand why Pete is moon-faced over a girl. Then it won't stop raining and it's hard to focus on anything else. The Ohio River begins to rise and the boys' father asks Gus to go with him to work on adding sandbags to the riverfront. Pete is frustrated he isn't asked to go, but then he is consumed with trying to protect his mother and two younger siblings from the rising water in the basement, the food shortages and the need to safeguard their possessions. Will the Great Flood of 1937 tear the Brinkmeyer family apart?
I found this book very engaging and well-written. The first half is told from Pete's perspective and the second half is from Gus's perspective. While at first this frustrated me, it made sense once I read the book. Many of the chapters end with cliff hangers and there is a surprise in Gus's section that readers will find fascinating. This is a well-done window into a specific historical moment that required great courage, perseverance and bravery.
Students who enjoy learning about little known historical moments OR students who enjoy survival stories will enjoy this book. The format was a little surprising; when I got to the end of Pete's section I was surprised to go back in time to read Gus's section. I think students will adjust pretty quickly. Most elementary and middle schools should buy this book, especially those trying to build up their historical fiction.
_*_*_*_*_*
#bookstagram #book #reading #bibliophile #bookworm #bookaholic #booknerd #bookgram #librarian #librariansfollowlibrarians #librariansofinstagram #booklove #booktography #bookstagramfeature #bookish #bookaddict #booknerdigans #booknerd #ilovereading #instabook #futurereadylibs #ISTElibs #TLChat
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May 1, 2022Author Kathy Cannon Wiechman takes readers back to 1937 and the record-breaking flood on the Ohio River. Using her grandfather's stories, she pieces together what it might have been like for two brothers in the town of Ironton.
Gus and his younger brother Pete aren't always on the best of terms, and the night the rain started was no exception. Gus was jealous of the time Pete spent helping their dad in his garage workshop. Pete was jealous of Gus's excellent school record and the fact that studying came so easy to Gus. When Gus brings home a girl he knows his parents probably won't like, Pete makes things even more uncomfortable just when Gus needed someone to be on his side. Gus begins an extended period of silent treatment that leaves Pete furious.
Perpetual rain falls and the river rises. Their father picks Gus to go with him to help the local men fill sandbags, and he tells Pete to take care of things at home. At first Pete isn't happy with the arrangement since he usually helps his dad, but as days pass and the rain continues, Pete begins to realize his job at the house is pretty important. Gus has a lesson to learn as well as he realizes helping with backbreaking labor isn't what he's cut out for.
The first half of the book gives Pete's story as he struggles to save what he can from the flood waters and at the same time protect his mother and younger siblings. In the second half Gus relates the thankless, hard work of filling sandbags and then his attempt to seek out his girlfriend and her family on the other side of the swollen river.
NOT ON FIFTH STREET is a real page-turner with suspenseful moments and relatable fears. It is an excellent historical fiction piece for readers middle grade and above.
Gus and his younger brother Pete aren't always on the best of terms, and the night the rain started was no exception. Gus was jealous of the time Pete spent helping their dad in his garage workshop. Pete was jealous of Gus's excellent school record and the fact that studying came so easy to Gus. When Gus brings home a girl he knows his parents probably won't like, Pete makes things even more uncomfortable just when Gus needed someone to be on his side. Gus begins an extended period of silent treatment that leaves Pete furious.
Perpetual rain falls and the river rises. Their father picks Gus to go with him to help the local men fill sandbags, and he tells Pete to take care of things at home. At first Pete isn't happy with the arrangement since he usually helps his dad, but as days pass and the rain continues, Pete begins to realize his job at the house is pretty important. Gus has a lesson to learn as well as he realizes helping with backbreaking labor isn't what he's cut out for.
The first half of the book gives Pete's story as he struggles to save what he can from the flood waters and at the same time protect his mother and younger siblings. In the second half Gus relates the thankless, hard work of filling sandbags and then his attempt to seek out his girlfriend and her family on the other side of the swollen river.
NOT ON FIFTH STREET is a real page-turner with suspenseful moments and relatable fears. It is an excellent historical fiction piece for readers middle grade and above.
November 29, 2018
I stumbled upon this book at the library and felt like I need to read it because it looked like a quick one day read, which I have to say it is.
The first few chapters are about Gus and Venus, and His mom and dad not wanting him(Gus) to date Venus because she was not Catholic.
Pretty much family issues, which I feel still happen when people try to date outside of there religion or beliefs.
Pete and Gus fight like brothers...but because of Pete asking questions at dinner while Venus was there, Gus and Petes relationship grows to a hold.
The rain starts to come leading to the Flood. Gus has no clue if his family is safe because they were separated.
Pete and Gus? I don't want to spoil their story so hurry to chapter 64...lol
Overall a good read and I love books like this especially with old time feels.
The first few chapters are about Gus and Venus, and His mom and dad not wanting him(Gus) to date Venus because she was not Catholic.
Pretty much family issues, which I feel still happen when people try to date outside of there religion or beliefs.
Pete and Gus fight like brothers...but because of Pete asking questions at dinner while Venus was there, Gus and Petes relationship grows to a hold.
The rain starts to come leading to the Flood. Gus has no clue if his family is safe because they were separated.
Pete and Gus? I don't want to spoil their story so hurry to chapter 64...lol
Overall a good read and I love books like this especially with old time feels.
December 7, 2023
This book is about the 1937 flood in my hometown. the house that they live in was bought by my maternal grandparents when they started a family in the seventies. until they died and someone else moved in and painted over it…🙄😖 there was a watermark on the shed out back of the house. i think of this story often. my last name is also mentioned in this book although the character is not real, the last names are very real and historical for our small town!
December 23, 2017
I enjoyed this book Kathy!!! The book reminds me of hearing stories from my mom and Dad about 1937 flood here in Cincinnati!! A fast easy read that keeps you engaged and wondering how they r going to solve some of their dilemmas they face!! Shows how tragedy can bring families closer when you realize what is really important in life!!
May 11, 2017
Fast-pace read about the 1937 Ohio River flood in Ironton. I have to say my favorite part was the end in the author's notes as she shared the real story behind the story in the book, including pictures of her father and his family.
October 30, 2019
Very good story! Wiechman's prose paints vivid images and kept me turning the pages. An easy, enjoyable read.
November 16, 2019
Very much enjoyed this story. It kept my interest throughout.
December 22, 2025
Loved this! Fictional account based on actual event!
January 2, 2026
3.5.
For me the story starts off slow and I had a hard time staying focused. The story was insightful, however it is not a book that I would reread.
For me the story starts off slow and I had a hard time staying focused. The story was insightful, however it is not a book that I would reread.
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February 19, 2018Excellent book. Several characters were religious; it was handled respectfully and fit into overall storytelling. (I am not Catholic and cannot comment on the accuracy of the Catholic customs) I really felt the anger, panic, pride, jealousy, exhaustion, determination... of both brothers.
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