From the one and only Kate DiCamillo comes an irresistible new hero for early chapter book readers, brightly captured with comic nostalgic flair by Chris Van Dusen. To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig -- she's a porcine wonder. And to the portly and good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons' bed. BOOMCRACKAs the bed and its occupants slowly sink through the floor, Mercy escapes in a flash -- ``to alert the fire department,`` her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind -- like a sudden craving for their neighbors' sugar cookies? Welcome to the wry and endearing world of Mercy Watson -- an ebullient new character for early chapter-book readers in a series that's destined to be a classic.