The Final Freedom

Will Burke is daydreaming about Nate's wonderful shotgun when he runs smack-dab into the fiercest brave of them all, Geronimo! Terrified, he lashes out against the mighty warrior, who's amused -- and impressed. This boy is braver than the army of soldiers who have just captured Geronimo after his fifteenth escape from the White man's reservation. It will not be his last.... Suddenly, Will has an unexpected friend. Geronimo saves his life in a deadly ice storm, then teaches him how to survive, and fight back against bullies like Nate. it isn't until Geronimo takes Will on an unforgettable Wild West adventure at the St. Louis World's Fair that he finally tells Will what he must do in return. It is the hardest thing Will has ever had to do....

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.