About the Book

The beguiling porcine wonder turns bucking bronco in order to snare a robber in this hilarious new addition to the "New York Times" bestselling series.

Book Synopsis

A Wall Street Journal 20 Best Children's Books of the Past 20 Years Selection

Mercy's back for a third rollicking adventure!

Leroy Ninker is a small man with a big dream: he wants to be a cowboy, but for now he's just a thief. In fact, Leroy is robbing the Watsons' kitchen right this minute! As he drags the toaster across the counter - screeeeeech - and drops it into his bag - clannngggg - little does he know that a certain large pig who loves toast with a great deal of butter is stirring from sleep. Even less could he guess that comedy of errors (not to mention the buttery sweets in his pocket) will soon lead this little man on the wild and raucous rodeo ride he's always dreamed of! Nosy neighbors, astonished firemen, a puzzled policeman, and the ever-doting Watsons return for a new tongue-in-snout adventure about Kate DiCamillo's delightfully single-minded pig.

Review Quotes

Mercy is back in this fun third installment of merrymaking, buttered-toast eating, and crime solving.
--Kirkus Reviews

The shiny, retro pictures still amuse.
--Booklist

Another rollicking adventure...DiCamillo has creatively woven in the elements that a good easy reader should have: repetition, simple sentence structure, and controlled vocabulary.
--School Library Journal (starred review)

Charming and colorful.
--Dayton Daily News

This silly story makes my nearly 9-year-old son laugh out loud at every reading (yes, it's been requested multiple times).
--Denver Post

About the Author

Kate DiCamillo is the author of the first two stories starring the porcine wonder, Mercy Watson to the Rescue and Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride. 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; and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Chris Van Dusen illustrates the Mercy Watson series with a nostalgic comic flair. He also writes and illustrates picture books. Chris lives in Maine, USA.