Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes - Hardcover

DiCamillo, Kate

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763636444 ISBN 13: 9780763636449

Publisher: Candlewick, 2009

Synopsis

The porcine wonder is off to the drive-in — and driven to follow that buttery smell — in a comic crescendo that reunites a familiar cast of characters.

Some may find it wonky to take a pig to the movies. But not Mr. and Mrs. Watson, who think the title of the film is inspirational. And not their beloved Mercy, who is inspired by the fact that the drive-in proudly serves real butter on its Bottomless Bucket of popcorn. So when they pull up in their convertible, Mercy lifts her snout and becomes a pig on a mission – for what is more heavenly than being hot on the trail of a true butter smell? Masterful slapstick director Kate DiCamillo sends Mercy on a delirious chase, followed by a trail of hapless rescuers that fans will recognize from prior episodes. And Chris Van Dusen’s comic retro illustrations perfectly capture a nostalgic pastime – along with the newest antics of a charmingly single-minded pig.

About this title

About the Author:

Kate DiCamillo is the author of the first five stories starring Mercy Watson. She is also the author of The Tale of Despereaux, which won the Newbery Medal; Because of Winn-Dixie, which received a Newbery Honor; The Tiger Rising,a National Book Award Finalist; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, winner of a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award; and the New York Times best-selling picture book Great Joy. She lives in Minneapolis.

Chris Van Dusen has illustrated all the books in the Mercy Watson series. He is also the author-illustrator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, and If I Built a Car. He lives in Camden, Maine.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2–4—In her sixth adventure, Mercy Watson is in the family's familiar pink convertible on her way to the Bijou drive-in theater, which is showing When Pigs Fly. Mr. and Mrs. Watson are sure she'll find it inspirational, but Mercy is more excited by the prospect of real butter on Bottomless Buckets of popcorn. Familiar characters from other adventures—Police Officer Tomilello, Animal Control Officer Francine Poulet, and reformed robber Leroy Ninker—are also at the Bijou. They leap into action when Mercy, with snout in the air, follows the irresistible scent of butter to waiting cars with windows down. "People screamed. People laughed. People fainted. Mercy kept eating." When the Watsons realize that their porcine wonder is missing, they join the chase, which ends only when two clever firemen catch up to her and suggest a treat of buttered toast. Though no one gets to see the movie, they all eat toast together, which, for Mercy, is a very happy ending. Illustrations are done in gouache using a bright, retro palette of glossy colors, bringing the text vibrantly to life. All of the elements of the earlier stories are here—jovial characters, good-humored mayhem, and effortless repetition that moves the story forward while allowing emerging readers to peruse it themselves. Youngsters are sure to delight in the exploits of this butter-loving pig, savoring DiCamillo's "wonky in the extreme" text and Van Dusen's energetic, innocent art.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN
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About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0763636444
• ISBN 13: 9780763636449
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Van Dusen Chris