Mercy Watson to the Rescue (Mercy Watson #1)
by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
Date: 2005
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: illustrated chapter book
Pages: 80
Format: e-book
Source: library
To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig — she’s a porcine wonder. And to the good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons’ bed. BOOM! CRACK!
(synopsis from Goodreads)
After loving some of Kate DiCamillo's middle grade novels (as well as the wonderful Bink & Gollie series for kids), I thought I'd give this series a try. I'm not really big on anthropomorphized animals, especially if they talk. But I didn't have to worry about that here. Aside from a few human traits, Mercy is very much a pig. She does end up saving the day, but totally unintentionally; her mind is more on her stomach and playtime than it is on being a hero.
The pictures are really cute, almost with a quaint 1950s feel to them. There are plenty of them, too, breaking up the text into easy-to-read chunks. It shouldn't take an older reader too long to get through these books, but they'll be just the right length for beginning readers. I would've loved to have this series around when I was a kid.
If you can suspend disbelief around the basic premise (that of a couple who are raising a pig as their child) and just go with it, you'll probably find a lot to enjoy here. This would be a great book to read aloud, as well as a suitable book for kids who are just getting into reading chapter books themselves.
Quotable moment:
Eugenia ran toward Mercy.
Mercy's heart beat faster.
There was going to be a chase!
Mercy loved a chase.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 5/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Overall: 4.25 out of 5
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