Newbery-winning author Kate DiCamillo tries something new here, with this first in a proposed series of easy readers for children making the transition to chapter books. The problem is that, while it could be a fun read-aloud for a five year old, many eight year olds will find it insipid, with it's brighter-than-bright gouache paintings of goofy people (and a pig) with candy-apple cheeks and red noses that make them look like they've been hitting the sauce.

Much younger children, however, will enjoy the hilarity of the grumpy neighbor chasing Mercy around the yard while wearing curlers and a bathrobe while the Watsons, with exaggerated expressions of terror, rock in their slowly collapsing bed like a sinking ship in a storm. Adults reading this, though, can be excused from wondering what might have been. The field of transitional readers is a barren one, and if a talented author such as DiCamillo could combine the power of her older books with a more limited vocabulary and length, that would be something to cheer about.

From the Book:
"Look!" said Mrs. Watson. "Mercy has escaped."
"She is going to find help," said Mr. Watson. "She is going to alert the fire department."