That Furball Puppy and Me

Rats, Rats!Here I am, a relf-respecting kitten just trying to survive in a real rat-eat-cat world, when the humans in my life start acting crazy. Something about the kids, the grandkids, coming to visit for Christmas. I would have run away if I had known what that meant! Mama accusing me of tearing up the presents. Noisy voices and grabby little hands. I tell you, it's a dog's world. Bite my tounge! If the grandkids are bad, they're nothing compared to the gift the kids gave Mama for Christmas...a puppy!Dumb furball. Everybody is cooing over this yappy puppy who only wants to play. Why can't he settle down like me? We're both in the doghouse now. So I got him in trouble for tearing up the kitchen. Big deal. Problem is, I feel responsible. This puppy's headed for T*R*O*U*B*L*E. How can I save him? I can't even save myself!

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.
One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.
Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.
Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.