Running Wild: Upchuch and the Rotten Willy [Turtleback]

Bill Wallace (Author)

Book Description

BASEBALL FEVER!

It's not so bad living a dog's life. Unless you're a cat.

Most times, hanging out with Rotten Willy (the huge dog on the cover) was cool. We played chase, talked, and chowed down on spaghetti and meatballs at Luigi's restaurant. Even though he was a dog (and sometimes called me Upchuck instead of Chuck), I could handle it. He was my best friend.

Then this baseball stuff started and Willy went bonkers. I never saw him act so crazy. On top of that, these two new cats moved into our neighborhood. Trouble was, tough-guy Roscoe and his cute fuzzy sister, Rikki, did not like dogs.

Dogs belong with dogs and cats belong with cats, they said.

I was showing them the sights when I suddenly spied the dogcatcher, just waiting to trap Willy as he raced across the field with a baseball in his mouth. But Roscoe and Rikki would never understand if they found out my best friend was a dog. How could I save Willy before it was too late? What's a cat to do when he has to choose between old friends and new -- and there's no time to lose...

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Chuck, a cat, and Willy, a rottweiler, make a return appearance. Here, Chuck, aka Upchuck, finds himself torn between Willy and the two new cats that just moved into town. Chuck's new feline friends do not like dogs and do not want to befriend a cat that hangs out with them. Chuck has a crisis of character but ultimately decides to remain friends with Willy, who is loyal and not judgmental. In the end, things work out for these unlikely companions. Some baseball action is included. This story enforces the dangers and circumstances of prejudices and biases. It will find an audience among fans of the first two "Upchuck" books.
Barb Lawler, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Bill Wallace has had pets for as long as he can remember. He grew up with all sorts of animals around the house.

"Our dogs and cats always got along," Bill said. "Fact was, I just knew they could communicate and tell what the other was thinking."

But a friend of Bill's had a dog who didn't like cats. When he rode over on his bicycle to play, the dog almost got Mike, a Siamese that Bill really liked.

He used that dog for Butch in the book Snot Stew. Butch was really a "bad guy." Then a fan wrote and wanted to know why Bill made dogs the villains and told him how his dogs and cats always got along. It was that letter, with the six dogs and one cat that live on the Wallaces' farm in Oklahoma, combined with Bill and Carol's "granddogs," that gave him the idea for this story. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Turtleback
• Publisher: Demco Media (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 060619875X
• ISBN-13: 978-0606198752
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,014,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rotton Willy and Upchuck Running Wild, May 26, 2004

By 

bobby (earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Running Wild : Upchuck And The Rotten Willy (Paperback)

This is a good book if you in middle school and up. At the end of the book it'll leave you guessing what will happen next or will there be another book in the future to tell you what will happen.
The book tries to teach you a lesson in life, that is why I said middle school and up, the lesson is about friendship and could change your friendship with a close friend forever.
Willy also known as rotten Willy is a dog who loves baseball and happens to be friends with Chuck also know as Upchuck a cat who needed a friend cause all the other cats in the neiborhood moved away or got hit by a car.
Somehow chuck gets hurt all the time and gets knocked out by playen hide-and-seek and hits his head or by some other odd reason, And Willy brings chuck's body to his water bowl and wakes chuck up by splashing him with water.
Then out of nowhere a couple of cats move next door and scare chuck in his own yard, they meet for the first time and from there they become friends. But chuck finds out how they feel about dogs and cats who like dogs, but know chuck has to choose who he wants to be friends with, chuck talks to Willy about the deal and Willy wants chuck to be friends with both the cats and Willy. (Read the book to find out more)
One day the phone rings and it is chucks human friend Katie talking to her parents about coming home from collage and bringing her fiancée and there coming home during the weekend and she shows up with a surprise.
I'll leave it up to you to find out what happens ...

3.0 out of 5 stars Short Dog & Cat Fun, January 1, 2012

By 

Nicola Manning (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Running Wild : Upchuck And The Rotten Willy (Paperback)

Reason for Reading: I read this aloud to ds. We wanted a short funny book for a change and have always had success with Bill Wallace (& his wife Carol).

Upchuck and Rotten Willy is very similar to the "Gray Cat Trilogy" we read several years ago. Although this is the last book in the series it didn't make any difference to us, mentions were made of their previous adventures but enough information was given to newcomers about the characters. Chuck is a cat and Willy is a dog and they are best friends. Neither has any other mates in the neighbourhood. But this day two new cats move in and wander into Chuck's yard. They are a bit uppity but Chuck makes friends with them and spends a nice day with them. He learns quickly though that they are dog-haters and he agonises over what to do about Willy. Should he drop Willy as a friend, I mean cats should play with other cats, right? Or should he introduce his new friends to Willy and hope for the best that they might change their minds this one time, though it is hardly likely?

Written in Chuck the cat's narrative we have a simple tale that honestly reflects dog and cat behaviour. Is quite funny. Sending us both into little giggle fits at times. The story is fun-filled with lots of action, with baseball being a minor theme and as always with Bill Wallace a short pleasure to read.

5.0 out of 5 stars An impossible duo - that steals your heart!, July 4, 2011

By 

Lyn Murray - See all my reviews

This review is from: Running Wild : Upchuck And The Rotten Willy (Paperback)

An impossible duo - that steals your heart! At it again - this pair can find trouble where none exists! Love this series, AND pray for more!