Grade 2 · Class Reads · Book guide
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
by Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson is a much-loved pig who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. When a bedtime mishap becomes an emergency, Mercy sets off on an adventure that everyone understands differently.
Book details
Format
Illustrated early chapter book
Suggested age range
Ages 5–8
Why read it together?
A book worth talking about
Short chapters, lively illustrations, and repeated comic misunderstandings make this an inviting first class novel. Students can practise prediction, inference, and finding details that explain each character's point of view.
- Family
- Humour
- Different points of view
- Helping others
Before reading
Get ready to wonder
- What might make a story about an ordinary family and a pet become surprising?
- How can two characters see the same event in different ways?
During and after reading
Talk about the text
- What does Mercy want, and which details help you know?
- Why do the characters misunderstand what Mercy is doing?
- Which event is most important to the rescue? Explain your choice.
Writing invitation
Respond to the book
Retell one event from another character's point of view. Include details that show what the character thinks is happening.