The Great Escape

Upchuck and the Rotten Willy #2

by Bill Wallace, David Slonim (Illustrator)

Spring has sprung—and so have we...even cats and dogs get crazy in the spring. After all, what self-respecting cat (that’s me, Chuck) stays somewhere he doesn’t want to be? And what self-respecting dog (that’s Rotten Willy, who calls me Upchuck) won’t let his best friend (me) goad him into action on a fine spring day? Believe me, it’s not easy getting a lumpy Rottweiler over—or under—a big wooden gate! I figured it was about time I took Willy to my pal Luigi’s restaurant for a great spaghetti and meatball dinner. Problem was, Luigi didn’t understand that some dogs and cats, particularly an exceptional feline like me, can be friends. He was only trying to protect me when he went after Willy with a skillet! Boy, did he run. Then Willy decided to teach me how to chase cows. ME chase cows? Me-ow! I tried to introduce him to something more civilized, like chasing mice, but no go. Then came the skunk. Need I say more? But the real obstacle to a long-lasting friendship was yet to come.

Genres: Animals, Fiction, Childrens, Dogs

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Bill Wallace was an American teacher and later an author of children's books. He started writing to quiet down his fourth grade students, who loved his stories and encouraged him to make “real” books.

Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.

Bill Wallace has won numerous children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.

Bill Wallace died from Lung cancer on January 30, 2012.

Former elementary school teacher; West Elementary School, Chickasha, OK, principal, since 1977, and physical education teacher. Speaker at schools and universities in various states, including State University of New York and University of South Florida.

AWARDS:

Bluebonnet Award from Texas Association of School Librarians and Children's Round Table and Sequoyah Children's Book Award from Oklahoma State Department of Education, both 1983, Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Nebraska Golden Sowers Award from Nebraska Library Association, 1985, all for A Dog Called Kitty; Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Pine Tree Book Award, 1985, both for Trapped in Death Cave.

Reviews

[Aida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the Upchuck and Rotten Willy books when I was a kid! Hilarious and full of heart, like all of Bill Wallace's books. Highly recommend for your kiddo.

[Baffour Asare]

Grade

[Amanda]

Reading my classroom library

[Sharlene Hakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about a friendship between a cat and dog.

[Twyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part was when the rotten willy finally got to go for spaghetti. The worst part was when the rotten willy dropped chuck into his water bowl. The funniest part was when chuck kept landing on his head when cats are supposed to land on their feet. My favorite character was the rotten willy because he was a good funny character, although chuck was funny too. The worst character was the people from the pound because they wanted to take chuck and the rotten willy to the pound. The funniest character was chuck because he kept landing on his head instead of his feet. This book was about chuck trying to get the rotten willy to go to the place outside his fence. Chuck got him out and every day they went to so many places doing so many things. They went to see other cats, dogs, and cows. They ate spaghetti and meatballs. They explored new places neither of them went to before. They also ran into a skunk and got stinky. The rotten willy thought it was a cat. When the pound was trying to get the rotten willy and chuck, chuck saved the rotten willy from them. Then they finally became very good friend. The rotten willy was a rottweiler. Chuck was a cat. The person who gave them the spaghetti was named Luigi. Auryn 10 years old
2014

[Alison Strumbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute and funny. I really want to read the other ones now.

[Easlra18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really funny