• Mercy Watson to the Rescue (Mercy Watson #1)

Mercy Watson to the Rescue
(Mercy Watson #1)

Illustrator
Chris Van Dusen
Publication Date
December 22, 2009
Genre / Grade Band
Fiction /  2nd − 3rd
Language
English
Mercy Watson to the Rescue (Mercy Watson #1)

Description

Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo ("Because of Winn-Dixie") introduces an irresistible new hero for early chapter book readers in this first of six pig tales in an exciting new series, brightly illustrated with nostalgic comic flair by Chris Van Dusen. Full color.

Publication date
December 22, 2009
Genre
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780763645045
Lexile Measure
450
Guided Reading Level
K
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Series
Mercy Watson
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002200 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Pigs
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV045000 - Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Chapter Books
Library of Congress categories
Humorous stories
Pigs
Swine
Neighbors
Fire departments

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review

Appropriate as both a picture book and a beginning reader, this joyful story combines familiar elements with a raucous telling that lets readers in on the joke.

None

Hilarity and hijinks abound.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Newbery Medalist DiCamillo ("The Tale of Despereaux)" once again displays her versatility with this jaunty debut to an early chapter-book series. The tale stars Mercy, a pig with personality a-plenty -and a penchant for "hot toast with a great deal of butter on it." When Mr. and Mrs. Watson tuck Mercy into bed at night and switch off the light, their pet no longer feels "warm and buttery-toasty inside" and decides "she would be much happier if she wasn't sleeping alone." So she climbs into the Watsons' bed and dreams of hot buttered toast, until the overloaded bed begins to fall through the floor. Mercy's obsession prompts her to hop off the bed -her devoted owners convinced that she's gone to summon the fire department. Alas, the peckish porcine's single-minded pursuit leads her to the kind next-door neighbor and ultimately does prompt a call to the fire department -but not before a series of comical twists (involving the kind neighbor's sister, Eugenia, who is of the opinion that "pigs should not live in houses"). Van Dusen's ("If I Built a Car", reviewed above) boldly hued, tactically hyperbolic gouache paintings tap into the narrative's wry humor and joie de vivre -a memorable sequence depicts Eugenia in curlers and bathrobe chasing Mercy through the yards and winding up in an exhausted heap atop the porker heroine. Everyone ends up around the Watsons' table where the besotted couple piles up the undeserved toast for their "porcine wonder" -a fitting cap to this animated pig tale. Ages 6-8. "(Sept.)" Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2 -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. After the Watsons tuck 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, she 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 next-door Lincoln sisters. Van Dusen's bright gouache illustrations have a jovial exaggerated style and capture the sometimes frantic action and silliness of Mercy's -heroic - escapade." -Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI" Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo is the celebrated author of many books for children, including Flora & Ulysses and The Tale of Despereaux, both of which received Newbery Medals. A former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, she lives in Minneapolis.

Harry Bliss is a cartoonist and cover artist for The New Yorker. He has illustrated many picture books, including the #1 New York Times best-selling series by Doreen Cronin that began with Diary of a Worm, and he has both written and illustrated several picture books, including Grace for Gus and Luke on the Loose. Harry Bliss lives in New Hampshire.
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
-
Nominee 2007 - 2007
Monarch Award
-
Nominee 2007 - 2007
Beehive Awards
-
Nominee 2007 - 2007
Buckaroo Book Award
-
Nominee 2006 - 2007
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
-
Recommended 2006 - 2006
Other Books In Series:

Mercy Watson

Mercy Watson to the Rescue (Mercy Watson #1)
Current Book