Bill Wallace (1947–) Biography

(William Keith Wallace)

Personal

Born 1947, in Chickasha, OK; Education: University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, B.S., 1971; Southwestern State University, M.S. (elementary administration), 1974; attended University of Oklahoma.

Addresses

Agent—c/o Author Mail, Holiday House, Inc., 425 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10017.

Career

Educator and author. Chickasha, OK, public schools, teacher at fourth-grade center, 1971–74, kindergarten teacher, 1974, assistant principal at ninth-grade center, 1976, principal and physical education teacher at West Elementary School, 1977–88; writer and public speaker, 1988–.

Honors Awards

Sequoyah Children's Book Award, and Texas Bluebonnet Award, both 1983, and Nebraska Golden Sower Award, 1985, all for A Dog Called Kitty; Nebraska Golden Sower Award, and South Carolina Children's Award, both 1989, both for Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge; Utah Children's Book Award, 1989, Sunshine State Young Reader's Award, 1990, and Wyoming Soaring Eagle Award, 1991, all for Trapped in Death Cave; Sequoyah Children's Book Award, and William Allen White Award, both 1991, both for Beauty; KC Three Award, 1991–92, and Texas Bluebonnet Award, and South Carolina Children's Award, both 1992, all for Snot Stew; Pacific Northwest Territory Award, and Young Reader's Choice Award, both 1992, and Maryland Children's Choice Award, 1994, all for Danger in Quicksand Swamp; Connecticut Nutmeg Children's Choice Award, 1995, for The Biggest Klutz in the Fifth Grade; Arizona Children's Choice Book Award, 1995, for Totally Disgusting; Sunshine State Children's Award, 1996, for Blackwater Swamp; Oklahoma Book Award finalist, 1996, and Utah Children's Book Award and Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Books Award, both 1997, all for Watchdog and the Coyotes; Oklahoma Book Award finalist, 1998, for Aloha Summer, and 2005, for No Dogs Allowed!; Arrell M. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award, 2000, from Oklahoma Center for the Book; Maryland Children's Book Award Intermediate Level, 2004, for Goosed; West Elementary School, Chickasha, OK, was renamed Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

A Dog Called Kitty, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1980.

Trapped in Death Cave, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1984.

Shadow on the Snow, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1985, published as Danger on Panther Peak, Pocket (New York, NY), 1989.

Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1986.

Red Dog, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1987, reprinted, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2002.

Beauty, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1988.

Danger in Quicksand Swamp, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1989.

Snot Stew, illustrated by Lisa McCue, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1989.

The Christmas Spurs, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1990.

Totally Disgusting, illustrated by Leslie Morrill, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1991.

The Biggest Klutz in the Fifth Grade, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1992.

Buffalo Gal, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1992.

Never Say Quit, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1993.

Blackwater Swamp, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1994.

True Friends, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1994.

Watchdog and the Coyotes, illustrated by David Slonim, Pocket (New York, NY), 1995.

Journey into Terror, Pocket (New York, NY), 1996.

The Final Freedom, Pocket (New York, NY), 1997.

Aloha Summer, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1997.

The Backward Bird Dog, Pocket (New York, NY), 1997.

Upchuck and the Rotten Willy, Pocket (New York, NY), 1998.

Upchuck and the Rotten Willy: The Great Escape, Pocket (New York, NY), 1998.

(With wife, Carol Wallace) The Flying Flea, Callie, and Me, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.

Eye of the Great Bear, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.

(With Carol Wallace) That Furball Puppy and Me, illustrated by Jason Wolf, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.

Upchuck and the Rotten Willy: Running Wild, Pocket (New York, NY), 2000.

Coyote Autumn, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2000.

(With Carol Wallace) Chomps, Flea, and Gray Cat (That's Me!), illustrated by John Steven Gurney, Pocket (New York, NY), 2001.

Goosed!, illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2002.

(With Carol Wallace) Bub Moose, illustrated by Steven Gurney, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

(With Carol Wallace) Bub, Snow, and the Burly Bear Scare, illustrated by Steven Gurney, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Carol Wallace) The Meanest Hound Around, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2003.

No Dogs Allowed!, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2004.

The Pick of the Litter, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2005.

The Legend of Thunderfoot, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2006.

Contributor of short stories to periodicals, including Western Horseman, Hunting Dog, and Horse Lovers.

Sidelights

Bill Wallace is the author of many award-winning novels for grade-school and middle-grade readers. His stories, some set in the historic Old West and others taking place in the present day, offer adventure and a dash of comedy for young audiences. In many cases, animals play key roles, and sometimes are even the main characters of Wallace's books.

Wallace's first novel has the intriguing title of A Dog Called Kitty. A boy named Ricky has a fear of dogs, until he adopts a stray that has been beaten up by the cats on his family's farm. Ricky mocks the dog by calling him "Kitty," but he quickly grows fond of his new pet. Then, one day, a pack of wild dogs attacks Ricky and Kitty, but the heroes bravely fend off the attack. Ricky, now recovered from a fear of dogs that had been caused by a dog attach years before, faces tragedy when Kitty later dies in an accident. Booklist contributor Judith Goldberger remarked that while the plot is not entirely credible, "Ricky is real, as are his family and friends, and there is no lack of action."

The theme of death is also explored in several of Wallace's other books, among them Beauty and The Christmas Spurs. Beauty is the story of eleven-year-old Luke, who must learn to adjust to a new life in Oklahoma with his grouchy grandfather. Luke's spirits are lifted when he befriends a loving horse named Beauty. The conclusion, in which Luke must kill the horse after she is critically injured, hearkens back to Fred Gipson's Old Yeller, as well as to Mary O'Hara's My Friend Flicka. Luke comes to accept the painful changes that sometimes occur in life, and by the end of the book is able to start working with Beauty's granddaughter. Denise M. Wilms commented in Booklist that "horse lovers in particular will appreciate the relationship Luke has with Beauty," and Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books reviewer Roger Sutton said that the book's "death scene … will leave few genre fans unmoved." Charlene Strickland, writing in School Library Journal, further complimented Wallace's "smooth writing," which she noted successfully blends "action scenes with Luke's thoughts."

The Christmas Spurs approaches death in a different context, an incurable disease, as Nick's brother, Jimmy, suffers from leukemia. When Jimmy later dies from the illness, Nick has a difficult time handling the loss. However, he finds one of the spurs Jimmy got for Christmas when they received a horse as a gift, and placing the spur on the new Christmas tree in remembrance of his brother is a comfort.

Addressing grim issues such as death is only one aspect of Wallace's work, however; he has also written several very lighthearted novels for young readers. Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge is a comical romp that also makes a point. Liz Robbins's father is a quirky zoologist who likes to keep a menagerie of animals at home. This quirky home life unfortunately gets in the way of Liz's plan to run against pretty and popular Jo Donna Hunt in the election for sixth-grade class president. When Liz tries to hold a meeting in her house, the animals get in the way, with comical results. Liz asks her father to keep his animals somewhere else, which he kindly agrees to do to help his daughter. Gaining a "normal" life does not help Liz win the election, however, but by the end of the story she has forged a stronger relationship with both her parents. Blending humor with a message about peer pressure makes Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge successful, according to several critics. A contributor to the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books wrote that young readers will find some scenes "hilarious" and concluded that "Wal-lace gains points for having his protagonist find self-acceptance." Genevieve Stuttaford, writing in Publishers Weekly, asserted that "young readers should relate to and enjoy this story."

Another humorous tale by Wallace is 1992's The Biggest Klutz in Fifth Grade, the story of clumsy Patrick Berry and his friends. Pat bets Neal Moffett that he can survive the summer without hurting himself; if he fails he has to kiss overweight Kristine Plimpton. Neal, of course, spends the summer trying to make Pat mess up, while Pat tries to thwart these attempts on his physical welfare. Meanwhile, Pat and Kristine eventually realize they like each other, and in the end Pat throws the bet to kiss Kristine. While Eunice Weech, writing in School Library Journal, objected to Wallace's portrayal of girls as "passive" characters who serve only as "backdrops," she nonetheless complimented the author for his sense of humor and "brisk pace, helped by snappy dialogue." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books contributor Deborah Stevenson similarly faulted "the book's occasionally unpleasant relish of girls' having 'curves in all the right places,'" but concluded that young readers will enjoy the "slapstick" humor.

Wallace has also delved into historical novels, blending his love for animals in the books Red Dog and Buffalo Gal. Red Dog, set in the 1860s, hearkens back to A Dog Called Kitty in its tale of a boy's bond with a dog. The main character, twelve-year-old Adam, carries a grudge about having to move to a new home, just like Luke in Beauty. When Adam's stepfather, Sam, takes the family from Tennessee to the Wyoming wilderness, the boy finds some companionship in a puppy. While Adam is left in charge after Sam leaves on an extended trip, a group of men hoping to acquire the gold on the family's land attack the boy and his dog. Adam escapes and is pursued by the greedy gold seekers, who ultimately meet a surprising foe. Reviewers praised Wallace for his honest portrayal of the rugged, difficult way of life in a frontier wilderness. Susan Rice, writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, compared Red Dog to Jim Kjelgaard's Big Red in its combination of coming-of-age tae and animal story, and deemed Wallace's novel "recommended reading for any elementary or junior high reader." School Library Journal reviewer Barbara Chat-ton similarly pointed out that Red Dog has "special appeal to reluctant readers."

Buffalo Gal is also a historical coming-of-age story, though this time the story features a young female protagonist. The novel also differs from Wallace's earlier works in that Amanda Guthridge, the fifteen-year-old central character, is older than the writer's usual preteen protagonists. Again, the reader is presented with a character who is suddenly relocated to an unfamiliar setting. In 1904, Amanda is taken from her comfortable home in San Francisco to Texas, where her wealthy mother decides to work toward saving endangered buffalo herds. In Oklahoma Amanda meets David Talltree, who is half white, half Native American. She finds him both repulsive and intriguing—repulsive because of his condescending attitude toward her, and intriguing because he is different from the other boys she has known. David does not respect the rich city girl until she demonstrates her riding skills. Many Wild West adventures follow, including encounters with dangerous animals and hazardous storms, and in the end Amanda is a wiser girl, blossoming into a woman. Reviewers generally found Buffalo Gal to be an exciting story, Chatton concluding in School Library Journal that Wallace's "fast-paced novel" will appeal to readers and could lead them to think more about the lives of women in the Old West. The reviewer pointed out, however, the slim chance "that greenhorns, particularly women alone, would have received the polite treatment given the Guthridges."

Goosed! features a canine protagonist. T.P., a bird-dog named after an incident in the family bathroom, is not sure how to deal with the arrival of a new puppy named Mocha. T.P. tries to ignoring Mocha, but as a result he does not spend as much time with Jeff, his boy, who loves the new puppy. When Mocha is threatened by a wild goose, T.P. comes to the rescue, learning that his role in the relationship is to mentor the younger dog. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented on the "engagingly doggy spirit of this upbeat animal tale," while Susan Hepler noted in School Library Journal that Wallace's "beginning chapter book should appeal to fans of talking animal stories and those looking for a light and humorous read."

Some of Wallace's novels are adventure stories, including Trapped in Death Cave, Danger in Quicksand Swamp, and Journey into Terror. Treasure hunts and life-threatening situations are typical features of these books; in Danger in Quicksand Swamp, for example, friends Ben and Jake think they are on a treasure hunt when they suddenly find themselves in a crocodile-infested swamp, led there by a man who wants them dead. The boys manage to get rescued and then figure out a way to prove the evil intent of their would-be murderer.

In Blackwater Swamp Ted and his family move to a small Louisiana town, where Ted learns about an elderly African-American woman who lives alone in the swamp and is rumored to be a witch. Questions arise in Ted's mind when his new friend Jimmy tells him that the "witch" is behind a series of burglaries that have been going on in town. The elderly woman, whose name is Martha Timms, is not really a witch at all, and in the process of defending her, Ted comes to know Timms and share her love of animals. Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Diane Tuccillo called Blackwater Swamp a "well-written" story that teaches "important lessons about friendship and accepting others' differences."

Wallace returns to the theme of interracial differences in Aloha Summer, in which the main character makes friends with a Hawaiian native. True Friends is also about differences, but in this case the differences are When a young boy moves to the country after his mother dies, an orphaned coyote takes the place of the dog he always wanted in Wallace's inspiring middle-grade novel. (Cover illustration by Richard Cowdrey.)handicaps, both physical and economic. Judy Baird suffers from cerebral palsy and comes from a poor family. On the other hand, Courtney Brown's family is well off, which makes it easy for her to buddy up to the "in" crowd. However, when Courtney's family's fortunes take a turn for the worse, she discovers who her true friends are. Some reviewers considered the plot to be "overloaded" with messages, as Sutton described it in Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. However, according to Nancy Zachary in Voice of Youth Advocates, "Good values like kindness and friendship prevail in a neat conclusion that extols family loyalty."

Many of Wallace's protagonists are average kids with some spunk, but in some cases he writes about quirky characters, such as Patrick in The Biggest Klutz in Fifth Grade, or the misfits in Never Say Quit. "Misfits," in fact, is the name the fifth and sixth graders give their soccer team in this tale. The title comes from their coach's insistence that no one in the team can quit for at least two years. The kids learn a lot about dedication, teamwork, and loyalty from Coach Reiner, and use these values to help their coach when his problems with alcoholism get the better of him. Although Deborah Abbott wrote in Booklist that the story gets "melodramatic" at times, she praised the book for addressing issues that make for good "discussion opportunities."

Another quirky character, twelve-year-old Bailey, lives at the turn of the twentieth century and is the hero of Eye of the Great Bear. Scared of strange noises and easily startled, Bailey is more afraid of fear than the things that cause him to jump, and has trouble calming his jitters. When told by a carnival mystic that the cure to his concerns will involve a bear, Bailey is not sure whether to be relieved or more worried. However, when the moment comes, he can stand between his younger sister and danger in the form of a charging grizzly. "The tale is vigorously told," wrote John Peters and Jack Helbig in their review for Booklist, concluding that Wallace's novel is "both entertaining and suspenseful."

In Coyote Autumn protagonist Brad has many qualities in common with the heroes of Big Red and A Dog Called Kitty, primarily his devotion to his pet. But in Brad's case, this pet is a coyote pup that he hides from his family, hoping to nurse it to health after hunters kill its entire family. When Brad's father gives him a dog, however, it is not long before his family discovers the truth, and Brad is faced with a difficult decision. The coyote is a wild animal and needs its freedom. Can Brad bear to part with him and take him to a wildlife refuge? "Wallace has written a book that displays his talent for creating true-to-life people and the lessons they learn from nature," wrote Jane Halsall in School Library Journal. Roger Leslie, in Booklist, noted that "Wallace handles the ending with aplomb, infusing just a touch of sentimentality" into the tale.

In Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake a group of eight boys who enjoy camping, fishing, and horseback riding take an overnight trip to a local lake. Kent is certain he has seen the monster rumored to live in the lake, and he decides to see if he can track it down. With the help of his father, a paramedic trained in underwater rescue, Kent discovers the truth about the monster and manages to track down a buried treasure as well. Julie Cummins, writing in Booklist, noted that the novel is full of "suspense and humor that boys will surely appreciate," while in School Library Journal Barbara Auerbach noted that "readers will admire Kent's insight and courage."

Kristine is still mourning the death of her beloved horse when her family tries to cheer her with the gift of a puppy in No Dogs Allowed! Not wanting to become attached to the puppy and risk being hurt again, Kristine keeps the dog but refuses to pay attention to it. As her grandfather grows increasingly ill and her baby sister also has health concerns, Kristine learns how to manage her fear of loss, finally allowing the puppy to win her over. "Wallace skillfully builds bibliotherapeutic text rife with internal struggle," commented a critic for Kirkus Reviews. Lauren Peterson, writing in Booklist, A dog is no replacement for a beloved horse: at least that's what Kris-tine believes until a new puppy charms his way into her heart in Wallace's 2004 novel. (Cover illustration by Kevin Torline.)noted that while the first-person narration is sometimes awkward, "the dilemmas she faces and the way she deals with them will ring true to many young readers." Alison Grant, in School Library Journal, considered Kristine a "likeable and realistic" narrator, and Lenore Sandel of Childhood Education considered the novel "a wonderful read for the preteen."

The relationship between a boy and his dog is again explored in Pick of the Litter, in which Tom helps his grandfather raise and train a litter of hunting dogs. When one of the puppies and Tom form a special bond, the boy is tempted to find a way to keep the pup for himself, even though his grandfather has promised the pick of the litter to the breeder. "Wallace promotes traditional values here, using a first-person narrative delivered by a likeable protagonist," noted Shelle Rosenfeld in a review for Booklist.

Along with his solo novels and middle-grade readers, Wallace sometimes teams up with his wife, Carol Wallace, to produce chapter books and short novels. With The Flying Flea, Callie, and Me and its sequels That Furball Puppy and Me and Chomps, Flea, and Gray Cat (That's Me!), the Wallaces introduce readers to Gray, a family cat. The series of chapter books begins when Gray moves in and learns the ropes involved in being a first-class mouser from his mentor, Callie. When a baby bird falls out of its nest, however, Gray is determined to teach the baby, who he names Flea, to fly. The cat's adventures continue when his family brings a puppy home. Sure that the puppy will take all of the attention, Gray manages to get the newcomer banished to the barn. Realizing that the barn rats may put the puppy in danger, Gray does his best to undo the family's decision. "The plot revolves around such issues as fear, a new sibling, and doing the right thing," noted Elaine Lesh Morgan in School Library Journal.

Chapter books Bub Moose and Bub, Snow, and the Burly Bear Scare feature the adventures of a group of woodland friends. In the first title, Bub befriends a wolf pup named Snow; in the sequel, he faces a difficult winter, as he and his mother struggle to find food and must deal with humans in their territory and the threat of a dangerous grizzly. Along with telling the story, the Wallaces wrap some science information into the text, explaining nature concepts like animal territories. Accord-After a trying year at school, a summer job working at his grandfather's kennel helps twelve-year-old Tom sort out his feelings and learn about responsibility. (Cover illustration by Kevin Torline.)ing to Arwen Marshall in School Library Journal, Bub, Snow, and the Burly Bear Scare "will appeal mainly to fans of the first book and others looking for a light, funny read."

The Wallaces' 2003 collaboration, The Meanest Hound Around, tells the story of house dog Freddy, who finds himself homeless when his boy's father abandons him in the woods. Freddy has never learned how to take care of himself, and the world of the junkyard where he hopes to find shelter is anything but a cozy environment. There he meets Spike, a mean junkyard dog who would give anything to leave the cruelty of his master behind. Freddy manages to help Spike escape, and the two travel together in hopes of finding a new family. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the novel "gently written with a sweetness that does not give way to sac-charinity," while Cynde Suite noted in School Library Journal that, "for early readers who like animal stories, this one is a good choice."

Wallace once told SATA: "When I started teaching, I read a story to my class called Old Yeller. They really liked it and, when we finished, they wanted me to read another book. I tried three others that they wouldn't listen to. Trying to read to my class when they weren't listening wasn't much fun!

"One of my students asked if I would tell stories about things that happened when I was their age. When I ran out of tales about me, they asked if I could make up some. These 'made up' stories got long enough to be books. My students really liked them and after I would read the manuscripts, they wanted to read them too. Finally, they talked me into sending the stories off to get somebody to make real books out of them. It took ten years before a company in New York City named Holiday House decided to publish one of my stories.

"I have been very blessed that kids throughout the country have voted my books their 'favorites' and given me numerous state awards. After trying for ten years and having grown-ups tell me the stories weren't any good, and reading some reviews where other grown-ups don't really like the stories all that much—it's really wonderful to have kids (for whom I wrote them in the first place) tell me that they like my books!

"I get my ideas from lots of places. I remember things that happened when I was growing up. I listened to my kids when I was teaching school or doing lunchroom duty. At home, my own children sometimes give me ideas. My wife Carol used to teach second grade, but now she's a writer too. We work together in our home near Chickasha, Oklahoma. We have three kids: Justin, our son, Nikki, our middle daughter (she will have her first book published in 2000), and Laurie, our oldest. She has two daughters of her own: Kristine and Bethany. We also have five dogs: April, Mush, Midog, J.C., and Mike; one cat named Gray; and one horse, Dandy."