Norman Tuttle on the Last Frontier : A Novel in Stories

Rating:
Summary: A humorous look at the challenges of growing up
Review: The first story in NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER has Norman falling out of a fishing boat into icy Alaskan waters. "There is probably no good time to be in a situation like this," author Tom Bodett writes, "but being in this situation at age thirteen has got to be the worst of them. You're too old to cry and too young to swear, and you don't even have much of a life to go flashing past." This sets the tone for the collection of short stories about the life and adventures of Norman Tuttle, eldest son of an Alaskan fisherman, as he faces the challenges of growing up.

NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER is a hilarious account of a boy growing up on the last frontiers of civilization and adolescence. Some tales are unique to the setting, like those about Norman helping on his father's fishing boat. Others are common to young people anywhere in North America, such as the stories about bullies, friendship, or first loves.

Tom Bodett makes an unusual choice in placing Norman in a loving, two-parent home. His close relationship with his father is especially noteworthy. Most young people in literature come from families that are missing a parent or experiencing some sort of trauma, such as a recent death or alcoholism. NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER proves that there is plenty of drama available in a young person's life without resorting to trauma. The strongest stories in this collection are pitch-perfect renderings of perfectly mundane moments in a young person's life.

There are two standout stories in this collection of humorous tales. "Thanksgiving Cheer" is about the first Thanksgiving when Norman is allowed to sit at the grown-up table. Sent to the basement to look after his younger siblings and cousins, Norman ends up pounding a screwdriver into his father's workbench. His father, unaware that Norman has disobeyed one of the cardinal rules of the house --- to stay out of the tools --- invites Norman to join the adults. Norman knows he should enjoy being included as an adult member of the family, but all he can think about is how to repair the damage in the basement before his parents find out.

Another great story is "A Bump in the Road." Norman, who is recently grounded and seething against the unfairness of the world, reacts to his father's annoying tendency to say, "Bumpity-bump-bump-bump!" whenever they hit a rough spot on the road. The simple set-up and Bodett's direct use of language make the story an ideal way to explore the dynamics and feelings behind adolescent outbursts.

Never condescending, NORMAN TUTTLE ON THE LAST FRONTIER can be enjoyed both by people experiencing these things for the first time and those who remember going through them. In a world full of teen trauma novels, this book is a refreshing breath of positive realism. I look forward to what Tom Bodett will offer next.

--- Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood