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Tales from Deckawoo Drive #7
Mercy Watson is Missing!
Every favorite character from Kate DiCamillo’s New York Times best-selling Mercy Watson books makes an appearance in this extended, riotously funny series crescendo.
When Mercy Watson the pig goes missing, all of Deckawoo Drive is in an uproar. The Watsons are inconsolable, and the local police, fire, and animal control departments are no help whatsoever. Bossy neighbor Eugenia Lincoln is not quite as sad as she might be, but thankfully her sister, Baby Lincoln, has the idea to hire a private investigator. Granted, Percival Smidgely, PI, may be more bumbler than gumshoe, but his pigeon, Polly, is there to point the way. Meanwhile, Frank and Stella Endicott and Stella’s friend Horace Broom are ready to do some investigating of their own. Will the clever neighborhood sleuths manage to follow the trail of hoofprints—and a certain overwhelmingly enticing scent—and recover their porcine wonder?
With deftly paced narrative comedy, visual slapstick, abundant artwork in both black and white and full color, and warm affection for their cast of characters, Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen bring us a highly satisfying, extra-special series finale that rewards loyal fans—and invites new readers to explore the stories that came before.
When Mercy Watson the pig goes missing, all of Deckawoo Drive is in an uproar. The Watsons are inconsolable, and the local police, fire, and animal control departments are no help whatsoever. Bossy neighbor Eugenia Lincoln is not quite as sad as she might be, but thankfully her sister, Baby Lincoln, has the idea to hire a private investigator. Granted, Percival Smidgely, PI, may be more bumbler than gumshoe, but his pigeon, Polly, is there to point the way. Meanwhile, Frank and Stella Endicott and Stella’s friend Horace Broom are ready to do some investigating of their own. Will the clever neighborhood sleuths manage to follow the trail of hoofprints—and a certain overwhelmingly enticing scent—and recover their porcine wonder?
With deftly paced narrative comedy, visual slapstick, abundant artwork in both black and white and full color, and warm affection for their cast of characters, Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen bring us a highly satisfying, extra-special series finale that rewards loyal fans—and invites new readers to explore the stories that came before.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2023
104 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Kate DiCamillo
161 books11.1k followersKate DiCamillo, the newly named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2014–2015, says about stories, “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see one another.” Born in Philadelphia, the author lives in Minneapolis, where she faithfully writes two pages a day, five days a week.
Kate DiCamillo's own journey is something of a dream come true. After moving to Minnesota from Florida in her twenties, homesickness and a bitter winter helped inspire Because of Winn-Dixie - her first published novel, which, remarkably, became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. "After the Newbery committee called me, I spent the whole day walking into walls," she says. "I was stunned. And very, very happy."
Her second novel, The Tiger Rising, went on to become a National Book Award Finalist. Since then, the master storyteller has written for a wide range of ages, including two comical early-chapter-book series - Mercy Watson, which stars a "porcine wonder" with an obsession for buttered toast, and Bink & Gollie, which celebrates the tall and short of a marvelous friendship - as well as a luminous holiday picture book, Great Joy.
Her latest novel, Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, won the 2014 Newbery Medal. It was released in fall 2013 to great acclaim, including five starred reviews, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Flora & Ulysses is a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format - a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black and white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell. It was a 2013 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner and was chosen by Amazon, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Common Sense Media as a Best Book of the Year.
Kate DiCamillo's own journey is something of a dream come true. After moving to Minnesota from Florida in her twenties, homesickness and a bitter winter helped inspire Because of Winn-Dixie - her first published novel, which, remarkably, became a runaway bestseller and snapped up a Newbery Honor. "After the Newbery committee called me, I spent the whole day walking into walls," she says. "I was stunned. And very, very happy."
Her second novel, The Tiger Rising, went on to become a National Book Award Finalist. Since then, the master storyteller has written for a wide range of ages, including two comical early-chapter-book series - Mercy Watson, which stars a "porcine wonder" with an obsession for buttered toast, and Bink & Gollie, which celebrates the tall and short of a marvelous friendship - as well as a luminous holiday picture book, Great Joy.
Her latest novel, Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, won the 2014 Newbery Medal. It was released in fall 2013 to great acclaim, including five starred reviews, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Flora & Ulysses is a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format - a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black and white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell. It was a 2013 Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner and was chosen by Amazon, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Common Sense Media as a Best Book of the Year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
December 15, 2023
We are so sad that this delightful series is coming to a close, but what a wonderful finale this was! I was surrounded by my kids' giggles as we remembered Mercy's past exploits and experienced one last adventure with her and her wonderful neighbors, family, and friends. The writing, as always, was fantastic and descriptive, and the story was perfection.
February 1, 2024
This was absolute perfection as it wrapped up a beloved series that we have read over and over. She brought back everyone and did it so seamlessly. She showed such depth of how to sit with someone in grief with the beautiful scene of Baby sitting with the Watsons holding her hand. She brought humor with Susie always mispronouncing words. It was the beauty of community which we all long for because we were created for it. Also Van Dussen the illustration of Mercy rolling in butter was fantastic! We read over half of it in one setting with all four of the kids squished upon me.
December 20, 2023
It takes me about 15 minutes before bed to read a Deckawoo Drive book. But a teacher or parent reading this book to their kids will bring comfort and joy to last….I don’t know. A lifetime?! Maybe? WHAT IF???
The kids at my school love Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson and the Deckawoo Drive gang. My friend Jackie told me there was a new book out, and I was telling the second graders about it. “You guys! There’s a new Mercy Watson book. I don’t know the name, but here…I’ll look it up. Wait. Here it is. (gasp) Oh, no! It’s called 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨!! She’s MISSING???”
You could hear the quiet concern of the kids. They didn’t say a word until someone yelled, “Where is she?”
That’s why you’ll have to read the book! Very cute and yes, predictable, but I think that’s one of the reasons kids love this beginning series so much. A few Lols from me and a couple new characters. Miss Susie Tinkor, the receptionist at the Butter Barrel factory was my favorite new person, Frank is my favorite known character; he’s just such a little, smart, and nervous guy.
If you read it to your kids, let me know what they think!
5 / 5 stars
The kids at my school love Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson and the Deckawoo Drive gang. My friend Jackie told me there was a new book out, and I was telling the second graders about it. “You guys! There’s a new Mercy Watson book. I don’t know the name, but here…I’ll look it up. Wait. Here it is. (gasp) Oh, no! It’s called 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨!! She’s MISSING???”
You could hear the quiet concern of the kids. They didn’t say a word until someone yelled, “Where is she?”
That’s why you’ll have to read the book! Very cute and yes, predictable, but I think that’s one of the reasons kids love this beginning series so much. A few Lols from me and a couple new characters. Miss Susie Tinkor, the receptionist at the Butter Barrel factory was my favorite new person, Frank is my favorite known character; he’s just such a little, smart, and nervous guy.
If you read it to your kids, let me know what they think!
5 / 5 stars
April 13, 2024
Mercy’s a great pig who loves her toast.
May 20, 2024
My kiddos both gave this five stars. I love how they incorporated all of the cast of characters from the Mercy Watson series and the tales from Deckawoo drive series. Of course there's toast with a great deal of butter featured
July 4, 2024
Well this was an absolutely chaotic delight.
May 31, 2025
How can you not give a Mercy Watson book 5 stars?? We are big fans over here and this one did not disappoint.
January 16, 2024
I love the strange and charming world of Mercy Watson (and really anything Chris VanDusen does) and this was no exception.
My kids found the detective theme delightful and were excited any time a chapter cut to Mercy’s blissfully unaware escapades as everyone is looking for her.
I did feel the pacing is odd and, like the other Mercy books, the repetitive nature of the writing makes it occasionally annoying to read out loud. I also love introducing kids to new vocabulary words, but I felt there were so many that the humor of the scene got bogged down in explanations.
Still, a sweet and humorous adventure with everyone’s favorite porcine wonder.
My kids found the detective theme delightful and were excited any time a chapter cut to Mercy’s blissfully unaware escapades as everyone is looking for her.
I did feel the pacing is odd and, like the other Mercy books, the repetitive nature of the writing makes it occasionally annoying to read out loud. I also love introducing kids to new vocabulary words, but I felt there were so many that the humor of the scene got bogged down in explanations.
Still, a sweet and humorous adventure with everyone’s favorite porcine wonder.
March 25, 2025
Finally done with this series! It’s a cute way to wrap it up, and it adds a couple different plot lines so it’s getting kids ready for bigger more complicated chapter books. They did a weird thing where they had a lot of illustrations done in black and white (again to probably get kids ready for other chapter books) but one of the draws of the series is its colorful illustrations, so it loses a star for that. Otherwise a great novel!
December 14, 2023
A great ending to a great series
I am sad to see the end of the Mercy Watson series but a happy ending is always good.
I found this series when teaching a young student to read. He was a reluctant reader but loved this series. He couldn’t wait to see what Mercy was up to each day.
I have never looked at toast the same since finding this series.
I am sad to see the end of the Mercy Watson series but a happy ending is always good.
I found this series when teaching a young student to read. He was a reluctant reader but loved this series. He couldn’t wait to see what Mercy was up to each day.
I have never looked at toast the same since finding this series.
December 1, 2023
Genre: Children’s
Super cute children’s book about a missing pig and the neighborhood that rallies to find it. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Thank you Candlewick Press for the ARC! 🐷
Super cute children’s book about a missing pig and the neighborhood that rallies to find it. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Thank you Candlewick Press for the ARC! 🐷
March 7, 2024
A wonderful end to the Tales of Deckawoo Drive. The kids and I have so enjoyed these books together. We love the neighborhood coming together and eating buttered toast. Chris Van Dusen’s illustrations with Kate DiCamillo’s stories are a heartwarming match.
April 11, 2024
Read this aloud to the younger two and loved it so very much. Kate DiCamillo can do no wrong in my mind…I genuinely laughed aloud a dozen times while reading. And Chris Van Dusen’s hilariously perfect illustrations add so much to the stories. So enjoyable!
May 5, 2024
Kate DiCamillo never disappoints. Her storytelling language is just perfection.
In this, which could be the last in this series tells the tale of Mercy going missing. All of the characters from Deckawoo Drive make an appearance.
I loved every minute.
In this, which could be the last in this series tells the tale of Mercy going missing. All of the characters from Deckawoo Drive make an appearance.
I loved every minute.
February 1, 2024
Mercy Watson will always get a 5 ⭐ review from me!
May 16, 2024
The first chapter book Sam and I read together out loud. We love Mercy Watson picture books and it’s so fun to dive deeper into the characters with the chapter books.
Read
July 23, 2024DiCamillo is just fantastic.
December 1, 2024
Familiar characters and new ones join the search for Mercy Watson. Such fun!
Read
July 15, 2025A delight to read with my kids!
November 7, 2024
What a fun reunion and "send-off" (conclusion) of all our favorite neighbors and friends from Mercy Watson. This series never disappoints.
April 12, 2025
I jokingly put a book for Arthur on last years books but it was only a few pages long. This was his first read aloud longer chapter book and we both loved it. It’s longer than others so I’m including it on my read books
December 24, 2023
Boy do I love Mercy Watson. The audiobook was fantastic but I missed seeing the pictures because they are FANTASTIC!
July 14, 2023
Sit back with your hot buttered toast and read the latest in the Mercy series with the porcine wonder and all of the Watson's friends!
January 1, 2024
What a delightful first read of 2024. Love me some Deckawoo Drive and *always* happy to curl up with a gem from Kate DiCamillo.
“Mercy lent weight and shape and wonder to all of Mrs. Watson's days.
Life without her was unimaginable.”
“It was good to have friends and neighbors in such a troublesome world.”
"People, and pigs, do go on unexpected and sometimes necessary journeys."
“Life is strange, thought Baby Lincoln.
Strange and tragic and glorious.”
"Don't you think that the best parties are the ones where someone returns home?"
"Why, anything could happen.
Anything at all.”
“Mercy lent weight and shape and wonder to all of Mrs. Watson's days.
Life without her was unimaginable.”
“It was good to have friends and neighbors in such a troublesome world.”
"People, and pigs, do go on unexpected and sometimes necessary journeys."
“Life is strange, thought Baby Lincoln.
Strange and tragic and glorious.”
"Don't you think that the best parties are the ones where someone returns home?"
"Why, anything could happen.
Anything at all.”
December 22, 2023
The reader feels part of the frolic and fun. Easy to predict what will happen, but so entertaining. Wonderful word play alongside wacky, yet likeable characters.
February 13, 2025
I don’t remember how I first found Mercy Watson.
I do remember reading the stories about her to both of my kids. Listening to audio versions in the car. Quoting from them. Waiting impatiently for new adventures.
That was years ago. But the porcine wonder is so wedged into my memory – into my heart, truthfully – that I had to pick up this new book and find out how DiCamillo bid farewell to the wonderful, wacky world she’d created (even if it's the first time I've read about her alone).
Not only was I not disappointed, I also couldn’t have been more satisfied. Everything that can be perfect about DiCamillo’s work is here.
She gives young readers exactly what they deserve – beautiful sentences to soak in, words they will want to use, animals and people to love, situations to laugh at, and experiences they’ll recognize.
Mercy’s last book opens in the shabby workspace of a private investigator. “It was almost as if the sun were embarrassed to show up in such a dingy office.”
Mrs. Watson is the first to notice that Mercy is missing. When she informs her husband, he picks up the phone to call the fire department. “The fire department was Mr. Watson’s default solution for every crisis. He had an unshakeable faith in a firefighter’s ability to bring order to a too-often disordered world.”
From that first phone call on, DiCamillo loops in every person you ever loved who walked Deckawoo Drive.
Frank Endicott takes notes about last sightings of Mercy. “His notes resembled the beginning of some strange fairy tale or a very bad poem. The list’s eclecticism, its supreme oddness, made Frank think about his friend Buddy Lamp, who owned a store called Buddy Lamp’s Used Goods.”
No one who has met Eugenia Lincoln will be surprised to hear that Mercy’s disappearance prompts her to pull out her accordion and play a jaunty tune.
“That pig has been the bane of my existence, and this is a happy, happy day,” she said.
“Oh, sister,” said Baby, “you shouldn’t take joy in other people’s suffering.”
“Schadenfreude,” said Eugenia.
“How’s that?” said Baby.
“Schadenfreude is the word for taking joy in another’s suffering. But that is not what’s happening here. Rather, I am taking joy in my liberation from that pig’s reign of terror.”
Stella Endicott and some friends take the search into the woods, and I almost yelped with joy at this line: “Stella and Horace and Maybelline were lost. Well, they weren’t lost exactly. They were wandering.”
The search does finally find its way up the dark staircase to the investigator’s office.
“Stella and Mrs. Watson led the way. Stella held Mrs. Watson’s hand, and Mrs. Watson found this wonderfully comforting.”
Wonderfully comforting is how I find the Mercy Watson series. Please read these books. Read them out loud to your kids. Read them for yourself. Read them to make any day perfect for at least a little while.
I do remember reading the stories about her to both of my kids. Listening to audio versions in the car. Quoting from them. Waiting impatiently for new adventures.
That was years ago. But the porcine wonder is so wedged into my memory – into my heart, truthfully – that I had to pick up this new book and find out how DiCamillo bid farewell to the wonderful, wacky world she’d created (even if it's the first time I've read about her alone).
Not only was I not disappointed, I also couldn’t have been more satisfied. Everything that can be perfect about DiCamillo’s work is here.
She gives young readers exactly what they deserve – beautiful sentences to soak in, words they will want to use, animals and people to love, situations to laugh at, and experiences they’ll recognize.
Mercy’s last book opens in the shabby workspace of a private investigator. “It was almost as if the sun were embarrassed to show up in such a dingy office.”
Mrs. Watson is the first to notice that Mercy is missing. When she informs her husband, he picks up the phone to call the fire department. “The fire department was Mr. Watson’s default solution for every crisis. He had an unshakeable faith in a firefighter’s ability to bring order to a too-often disordered world.”
From that first phone call on, DiCamillo loops in every person you ever loved who walked Deckawoo Drive.
Frank Endicott takes notes about last sightings of Mercy. “His notes resembled the beginning of some strange fairy tale or a very bad poem. The list’s eclecticism, its supreme oddness, made Frank think about his friend Buddy Lamp, who owned a store called Buddy Lamp’s Used Goods.”
No one who has met Eugenia Lincoln will be surprised to hear that Mercy’s disappearance prompts her to pull out her accordion and play a jaunty tune.
“That pig has been the bane of my existence, and this is a happy, happy day,” she said.
“Oh, sister,” said Baby, “you shouldn’t take joy in other people’s suffering.”
“Schadenfreude,” said Eugenia.
“How’s that?” said Baby.
“Schadenfreude is the word for taking joy in another’s suffering. But that is not what’s happening here. Rather, I am taking joy in my liberation from that pig’s reign of terror.”
Stella Endicott and some friends take the search into the woods, and I almost yelped with joy at this line: “Stella and Horace and Maybelline were lost. Well, they weren’t lost exactly. They were wandering.”
The search does finally find its way up the dark staircase to the investigator’s office.
“Stella and Mrs. Watson led the way. Stella held Mrs. Watson’s hand, and Mrs. Watson found this wonderfully comforting.”
Wonderfully comforting is how I find the Mercy Watson series. Please read these books. Read them out loud to your kids. Read them for yourself. Read them to make any day perfect for at least a little while.
February 5, 2025
Mrs Watson awakes one morning to discover that Mercy Watson is nowhere in the house. Where could the porcine wonder be? Soon the Watsons, Baby Lincoln, the Endicotts, Horace Broom, Leroy Ninker, and PI Percival Smidgley with pigeon Polly are on the case.
If you know Mercy Watson and you pay attention to the newspaper headlines mentioned 2x at the beginning of the book you can puzzle out this mystery before any of the Deckawoo Drive characters. Everyone who has ever been introduced in a Mercy Watson or Deckawoo Drive book somehow gets involved in the hunt and recovery of Mercy (except for Eugenia Lincoln who is belting out joyful tunes on her accordion with the porcine so-called menace out of her hair). It is a rollicking community mystery that brings everyone together at the end. (Reality is thrown out the window a bit as a real pet owner would get a huge bill if their pet did what Mercy does, but Deckawoo Drive is that much in a fantasy world so it just is magically ok. I've heard this is the last Mercy Watson/Deckawoo Drive book, and if that is the case, it was nice for the author to bring all the cast of characters back together for one last adventure. It also showcases how some characters have grown.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: Two guys chase Mercy for a while dreaming of ham and bacon, but she thinks they are frolicking with her and leaves them in her dust with no harm.
Ethnic diversity: Most of the town appears to be white, but the PI's girlfriend is a woman of color and Stella and Frank have hair that could indicate they have some mixed heritage.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Eugenia is celebrating that Mercy is missing which makes Baby sad. Some property damage in Mercy's enthusiastic quest to get to something (but the town seems to not make a big deal of it...touch of fantasy world). One very minor character who is something of a jack of all trades, master of none gives Baby Lincoln a business card that says "contact your dearly departed..." Baby thinks to herself that Eugenia thinks this man is a schemer but Baby thinks he is a "hoper and dreamer" he later pulls out another business card for an entirely different profession.
If you know Mercy Watson and you pay attention to the newspaper headlines mentioned 2x at the beginning of the book you can puzzle out this mystery before any of the Deckawoo Drive characters. Everyone who has ever been introduced in a Mercy Watson or Deckawoo Drive book somehow gets involved in the hunt and recovery of Mercy (except for Eugenia Lincoln who is belting out joyful tunes on her accordion with the porcine so-called menace out of her hair). It is a rollicking community mystery that brings everyone together at the end. (Reality is thrown out the window a bit as a real pet owner would get a huge bill if their pet did what Mercy does, but Deckawoo Drive is that much in a fantasy world so it just is magically ok. I've heard this is the last Mercy Watson/Deckawoo Drive book, and if that is the case, it was nice for the author to bring all the cast of characters back together for one last adventure. It also showcases how some characters have grown.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: Two guys chase Mercy for a while dreaming of ham and bacon, but she thinks they are frolicking with her and leaves them in her dust with no harm.
Ethnic diversity: Most of the town appears to be white, but the PI's girlfriend is a woman of color and Stella and Frank have hair that could indicate they have some mixed heritage.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Eugenia is celebrating that Mercy is missing which makes Baby sad. Some property damage in Mercy's enthusiastic quest to get to something (but the town seems to not make a big deal of it...touch of fantasy world). One very minor character who is something of a jack of all trades, master of none gives Baby Lincoln a business card that says "contact your dearly departed..." Baby thinks to herself that Eugenia thinks this man is a schemer but Baby thinks he is a "hoper and dreamer" he later pulls out another business card for an entirely different profession.
January 11, 2024
PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG: https://bookreadingtic.com/2024/01/11... AND PLEASE FOLLOW ME, THANK YOU!
But This Little Piggy Went Wee, Wee, Wee!
Mercy, the favorite pig and family member of Mr. and Mrs. Watson, is missing, and they are beside themselves with worry. The longer she is gone, the more people join the hunt to find her.
For one, there is the clueless Private Investigator, Percival Smidgely, hired by the Watsons. Stella and Horace also search while riding the horse, Maybelline. The small cowboy, Leroy Ninker, joins them with his rope hoping to lasso Mercy, and bring her home. "Missing" posters with her description are hung all over town.
As Mercy leads everyone on a merry chase, we see she gets into some predicaments of her own. She is chased by two guys who would like to have her for a barbeque, with her being the main course. But have no fear, the ending is happy.
The new Butter Barrel candy factory also plays a hilarious role in Mercy’s disappearance.
Lots of fun things happen throughout the tale. Investigator Smidgely tries to track her down, but passes up information that would have made him the hero. Louella, the detective’s girlfriend, is part of the story due to her love of sandwiches with toasted bread.
Giggles will abound when reading the antics of both Mercy and the people looking for her in this cute chapter book. There are great illustrations, many that are in color, that make the story even funnier.
This is supposed to be the series finale, if so, they are going out with a bang, this book is great. I highly recommend this five-star story to children five through ten years old. They will love it, and so will you!
Thank you, Candlewick Books, for providing Tickmenot with a book to review. Opinions are my own.
But This Little Piggy Went Wee, Wee, Wee!
Mercy, the favorite pig and family member of Mr. and Mrs. Watson, is missing, and they are beside themselves with worry. The longer she is gone, the more people join the hunt to find her.
For one, there is the clueless Private Investigator, Percival Smidgely, hired by the Watsons. Stella and Horace also search while riding the horse, Maybelline. The small cowboy, Leroy Ninker, joins them with his rope hoping to lasso Mercy, and bring her home. "Missing" posters with her description are hung all over town.
As Mercy leads everyone on a merry chase, we see she gets into some predicaments of her own. She is chased by two guys who would like to have her for a barbeque, with her being the main course. But have no fear, the ending is happy.
The new Butter Barrel candy factory also plays a hilarious role in Mercy’s disappearance.
Lots of fun things happen throughout the tale. Investigator Smidgely tries to track her down, but passes up information that would have made him the hero. Louella, the detective’s girlfriend, is part of the story due to her love of sandwiches with toasted bread.
Giggles will abound when reading the antics of both Mercy and the people looking for her in this cute chapter book. There are great illustrations, many that are in color, that make the story even funnier.
This is supposed to be the series finale, if so, they are going out with a bang, this book is great. I highly recommend this five-star story to children five through ten years old. They will love it, and so will you!
Thank you, Candlewick Books, for providing Tickmenot with a book to review. Opinions are my own.
February 9, 2025
Fun marks every page in this entertaining read with a pig to adore.
Mercy is missing, and Mr. & Mrs. Watson don't know what to do. The police, fire station, and animal control claim they can't help with missing pig problems, leaving the neighbors as the only ones left to help find the pig. Oh, there's the new detective, Percival Smidgely, too, but if he's the right man for the job? To say this group is in for a silly adventure, is an understatement, too.
This is the last book in the series and can be easily read as a stand-alone, since each tale is written to stand on its own. And what a fun tale it is! Each character packs personality, making this a fun neighborhood to get to know. There are a couple of 'bad guys', but these are more goofy than anything else and add just enough tension to spice things up. The rest of the tale is silly and fun. While the reader is soon in-the-know about Mercy's location and what's going on, this, actually, makes it more enjoyable to watch the other characters do their best to find her. Plus, their concern for her safety is inspiration and packs tons of warmth.
The read is well set to those readers, who are pretty sure of their words and are now expanding into full-fledged tales. The sentences are short and direct, while the vocabulary sticks mostly to 'simpler' words with only a little expansion here and there. It keeps the fun of the story in the forefront. The illustrations give zest and break-up the words, and the chapters are relatively short, offering pauses.
This is a very cute read with silliness and mystery, too. It ends the series on a great note and will have readers sad to see these characters go.
March 28, 2024
Mercy Watson is Missing! is the seventh book in the wildly popular Deckaroo Drive series that is filled with the antics of a pig named Mercy and her many friends who live on Deckaroo Drive.
The book begins with Mercy missing. The Watsons have tried all of their options to find her. When their neighbor Eugenia Lincoln suggests they hire a private investigator they think that's a smart idea. They hire Percival Smidgley PI who turns out to be a bumbling fool, but reading about him trying to find Mercy was highly entertaining. Mercy's friends on Deckaroo Drive also start a search investigation for their favorite pig. Eventually, Mercy is found, and all is well on Deckaroo Drive.
What I Liked: There is just something about a Mercy Watson book that is endearing. In addition to the mystery storyline, the characters are what make this book truly special. Deckaroo Drive's characters are quirky, unique, and lovable, and it's easy to be captivated by their crazy antics. Illustrator Chris Van Dusen is great at making the story come to life with his illustrations. I especially think he captures Eugenia Lincoln and her crankiness so well.
Mercy Watson is Missing! is a charming book that is perfect for children who want to read chapter books independently. I also think this would be an excellent classroom read-aloud.
** This review first appeared on YA Book Central and can be found here https://www.yabookscentral.com/mercy-... **
The book begins with Mercy missing. The Watsons have tried all of their options to find her. When their neighbor Eugenia Lincoln suggests they hire a private investigator they think that's a smart idea. They hire Percival Smidgley PI who turns out to be a bumbling fool, but reading about him trying to find Mercy was highly entertaining. Mercy's friends on Deckaroo Drive also start a search investigation for their favorite pig. Eventually, Mercy is found, and all is well on Deckaroo Drive.
What I Liked: There is just something about a Mercy Watson book that is endearing. In addition to the mystery storyline, the characters are what make this book truly special. Deckaroo Drive's characters are quirky, unique, and lovable, and it's easy to be captivated by their crazy antics. Illustrator Chris Van Dusen is great at making the story come to life with his illustrations. I especially think he captures Eugenia Lincoln and her crankiness so well.
Mercy Watson is Missing! is a charming book that is perfect for children who want to read chapter books independently. I also think this would be an excellent classroom read-aloud.
** This review first appeared on YA Book Central and can be found here https://www.yabookscentral.com/mercy-... **
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