Mercy Watson to the Rescue

To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig she's a porcine wonder. And to the portly and 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 Watson's bed. BOOM! CRACK! As the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash to alert the fire department, her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind like a sudden craving for their neighbor's sugar cookies? Welcome to the wry and endearing world of Mercy Watson.

To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig she's a porcine wonder. And to the portly and 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 Watson's bed. BOOM! CRACK! As the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash to alert the fire department, her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind like a sudden craving for their neighbor's sugar cookies? Welcome to the wry and endearing world of Mercy Watson.

To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig she's a porcine wonder. And to the portly and 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 Watson's bed. BOOM! CRACK! As the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash to alert the fire department, her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind like a sudden craving for their neighbor's sugar cookies? Welcome to the wry and endearing world of Mercy Watson.

I loved this book! Mercy the pig acts more like the Watson's daughter than an actual animal. Even though the setting is relatively realistic, the fact that Mercy can do things like dream and practically communicate with people encourages me to classify this book as magical realism or modern fantasy.

Overall, I liked this book for three reasons. First, I felt that the characters were extremely well drawn. For example, Mercy the pig's behavior emulates that of a small child (with their infinite curiosity and their desire for instant gratification).Also, the author adds some more subtle character clues within the book. For example, the author implies that the Watsons love and dote on Mercy because they were never able to have children on show more their own.

Second, the plot was fast paced and interesting. I loved how the conflict (the Watsons accident with the bed falling through the ceiling) escalates and escalates until the very end. Even though the writing was relatively simple and easy to read, I did feel that the plot was more complex than your average children's book. The plot switched perspectives (from Mercy to the Watsons and then back again).

Third and finally, I really appreciated the deeper meaning of this book. Although the story is about a pig, the nuances of the story help the readers reflect on what it means to be human. Taking care of Mercy gives both joy and fulfillment to the Watsons despite how ridiculous it is to treat a pig like a human child. Other characters constantly remind the Watsons of this fact, but they don't seem to care. The big picture of this story is that one can always find someone (or some animal to love). And that taking care and loving others adds value and meaning to your life. show less

I’m reading through these books as part of the read-aloud program I’ve put together for my three year-old son. I firmly believe he’s still too young for any kind of formal education, but I also passionately believe that the most powerful thing I can do to shape their education is read aloud with them. That being said, the Mercy Watson series are PERFECT for kids ages 3-6. My three year-old giggles all the way through, and even my five year-old is engaged and chuckling the entire time. I read no more than three chapters per day in order to accommodate the limited (read: almost nonexistent...) attention span of a three year-old. But my five year-old always begs for more!

These books are imaginative, adventurous, hilarious, and show more downright delightful. The sentences are simple and short, the vocabulary is also fairly simple and easy to comprehend, and the illustrations are so fun. I highly recommend these books, especially for reading aloud with very young kids! show less

Mercy Watson to the Rescue is an unexpected, almost absurdist chapter book that is sure to amuse children while teaching them about kindness toward animals. Mercy Watson is a pig who lives with a couple who treat her like a human child. When the Watsons’ bed starts to fall through the floor and Mercy runs away, they think that she is going to get help. Mercy is just hungry, but through a series of accidents, firemen are called to rescue the Watsons. Everyone celebrates with buttered toast, Mercy’s favorite. This is a straightforward story with few characters, short chapters, and a lot of cartoonish gouache illustrations. There are full-page illustrations and smaller ones scattered through the text, all done in a mix of bold colors show more and pastels. The text is light-hearted and concise, but the dialogue often feels stiff or forced. Each character has a well-defined voice and identifiable personality. The humor derives from upsetting expectations of how animals in children’s stories behave; Mercy Watson has no inner life, aside from a desire for food and fear of the dark. She’s just a pig, but the story demonstrates that she should be treated with kindness. The characters’ actions provide opportunities for parents to discuss this message with their children. This is a silly book, but one that children will enjoy and that parents can use to introduce an important lesson. Recommended. Grades 2-3. show less

The Watsons’ pig, Mercy, is quite fond of buttered toast, but isn’t too fond of being left alone in the dark, even though before turning off the light, the Watsons sing her a goodnight song. Indeed, Mercy is so uncomfortable that one night, she climbs out of bed and goes to the Watsons’ bedroom to snuggle up in bed with them. Everyone is content until a deafening sound wakes up the brood and they realize the bed is caving in through the floor! The Watsons realize that they need to get help, but how are they to get out of bed? Luckily, Mercy is able to get out of bed, but she may have other things on her mind besides rescuing the trapped Watsons (buttered toast, perhaps?)! Can Mercy come to the rescue of her family?

Split up into show more short chapters, the adventures of Mercy are perfect for readers who aren’t quite ready for full-sized chapter books. The often full-sized and bright pictures of Mercy and her hapless parents will also surely entertain. This book kicks off an entire series, so readers will be delighted to know they can keep up with the lovable Mercy Watson. Recommended. Grades 1 to 3. show less