Mercy Watson Fights Crime

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

"Another rollicking addition starring the porcine wonder. . . . Will keep newly independent readers turning the pages. — School Library Journal (starred review)

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 tongue-in-snout adventure about Kate DiCamillo's delightfully single-minded pig.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 PostKate DiCamillo is the beloved author of many books for young readers, including the Orris and Timble, Mercy Watson, and Tales from Mercy Watson’s Deckawoo Drive series. Her books Flora & Ulysses and The Tale of Despereaux both received Newbery Medals. A former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, she lives in Minneapolis.

Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of many books for young readers, including The Circus Ship and Big Truck, Little Island, and the illustrator of the Mercy Watson and Deckawoo Drive series. He lives in Maine.