31 Mar 2011 No Comments

“Mercy Watson to the Rescue” by Kate DiCamillo

THE BOOK MAMA BASICS

For ages: 4 – 7

Gender specific: Fun for all pigs and people

Any pictures?: Vibrant fun illustrations

Are there more?: Yes! Six amazing porcine adventures

How long?: 80 page

What’s it cost?: $5.99 on Amazon

Synopsis: After the Watsons tuck their pet pig Mercy into bed with a sweet song and a kiss, she feels warm inside, as if she has just eaten hot toast with a great deal of butter on it. However, afraid of the dark, Mercy snuggles into bed with the couple. Moments later, all three are rudely awakened from their lovely dreams with a BOOM! as their bed falls into a hole that has opened in the floor beneath them. In hot pursuit of buttered toast, the porcine wonder inadvertently gets help and saves the day. Along the way, she causes great, humorous distress to the fussy next-door Lincoln sisters. (edited from School Library Journal)

Review: Mercy Watson, a disarmingly charming pig adopted by a loving human family, makes her debut in this new series of chapter books for beginning readers. Three cheers for Kate DiCamillo author “The Tales of Despereaux” and “Because of Winn-Dixie.” Mercy Watson is her first, but surely not last, foray into the “easy reader” genre. This is a fun, quirky series about a lovable pig, who seems more like a family dog or even a small child, that will get the most reluctant little reader hooked. Van Dusen’s bright gouache illustrations have a jovial exaggerated style and capture the sometimes frantic action and silliness of Mercy’s heroic escapade. Four hooves up!