- Mercy is not a talking pig. She is a “porcine wonder,” as her owners, Mr. and Mrs. Watson, often say, but she is a pet living in the real world, and as such, she does not have any magical powers that make her talk. We are privy to many of her thoughts - most of which involve her love of buttered toast - but even these are related in the third person and do not resemble sophisticated human thoughts.
- Most of the human characters in the series are not children. The story is set on Deckawoo Drive where the Watsons live, and the most involved characters are the Watsons, their elderly next door neighbors, Eugenia and Baby (so named because she is the younger sister), and the various emergency personnel involved in rescuing Mercy from her various adventures, including a police officer, two firemen, and an animal control officer. Each of the characters often behaves in a way that is very child-like, but they are all grown-ups, with the exception of two children who appear briefly in a couple of the books.
- The language in the books is very rich. Kate DiCamillo has such a distinct voice, and I hear it loud and clear in these books, in the same way that I hear it in Bink and Gollie. The sophistication of the vocabulary she uses, and of the way she puts together sentences makes it hard to categorize these books. My previous library had them in easy readers; we treat them as fiction in my current one. But neither category is a perfect fit because the books are just so unique. No one else writes like this, and Cynthia Rylant is the only other author I can think of who writes about adults as her main characters.
- Mercy Watson is living in the 1950s. The references are very subtle, but they’re there. The convertible which Mercy accidentally drives in Mercy Watson Goes For a Ride is obviously old-fashioned, and the Watsons’ kitchen has a definite 1950s decor. Chris Van Dusen’s illustration style and color palette are even kind of retro, making the series stand out as unusual - and delightfully so - even more.
I borrowed all six Mercy Watson books from my local public library.
Find the series on Goodreads and Worldc
7 Comments on Getting to Know... The Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen, last added: 5/7/2012
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I'm really glad you read this books and enjoyed them. You know, I didn't even notice that all the human characters are adults but you are definitely spot on.
I encourage you to check out the website we created for the series www.mercywatson.com if you haven't already. We added fun games and interactive elements for kids and a Teachers and Parents section for adults.
We absolutely love these books at our house. My son is 3.5, and they were the perfect introduction to chapter books for him. Even my 2-year-old will sit through them. We make references to "toast with a great deal of butter on it" in our everyday conversation. And we LOVE it when old characters reappear in the later books. I totally agree with you about Kate DiCamillo's writing style, and Chris van Dusen can do no wrong in our eyes. Such a great series.
Hi, Raquel. Thanks for commenting! I had a great time reading these. The website is great! I'm considering a library program about Mercy, so these resources will definitely come in handy. :-)
I'm glad to hear your little ones will sit through these - it helps to know what works when families ask at the library for chapter books for preschoolers. And I love that you reference the toast - how cute!
Thanks for clearing up the "talking pig" issue - I assumed Mercy was a talking pig which is what put me off the series, but now I want to read them!
You're so welcome! I was surprised by how different the books were from what I expected. I bet you'll enjoy them, too!
Is it a good idea to read all Mercy Watson books? Why yes, it IS a good idea to read all Mercy Watson books, recommends Officer Tomilello, especially when eating a Butter Barrel candy! Yippee-Ei-Oh!
Sorry couldn't help myself...Mercy is indeed a porcine wonder. Our kids/family loves them. Pure folly!