Mercy Watson to the Rescue

Reader’s Review

This is the first of series of books on Mercy the pig by acclaimed author Kate DiCamillo. The books have won a lot of praise for their humour and their interest level for very young readers who may be reading chapter books for the first time. The story of a greedy but beloved pig certainly has some humorous moments and the language and pictures will entertain children – but the storyline is questionable. This is a book about a couple who care deeply for their pig, and a pig who loves only buttered toast. And rather than rescue its owners intentionally when they are in trouble, the pig only manages to accidentally save their lives when in reality it’s searching for food.

To look out for

• Islamic Values: Couple loves pig, pig loves food, sleeps with the couple and causes chaos.
• Some of the other volumes in this series include going to the movies, and brief mentions of romance.