The Far Frontier

The wilderness and its natural wonders, as well as the settlers and the warring Indians, come vividly alive for readers today in a book that will quickly take its place with Mr. Steele’s outstanding earlier successes, such as Winter Danger, The Lone Hun, and The Perilous Road, which was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal.
If only his father had bound him out to learn blacksmithing or some other useful trade, young Tobias wouldn’t have minded. But to traipse through the Tennessee wilderness with a naturalist from Philadelphia, whose concern with insects and plants and birds seemed childish and often somewhat “touched” to the frontier folk, was almost more than he could bear. Then when Mr. Twistletree insisted on going deep into hostile Chickamauga Indian territory, Tobe’s reluctance turned info fear of capture and death by slow torture—for which the Chickamaugas were famous.
How Tobe slowly learns to respect and admire Mr. Twistletree, how his own curiosity about books and learning grows, and how, in the end, he comes to understand the importance of study and knowledge, are the heart of this exceptionally fine piece of Americana.