Something wonky this way comes

Gr 2-4-In her sixth adventure, Mercy Watson is in the family's familiar pink convertible on her way to the Bijou drive-in theater, which is showing When Pigs Fly. Mr. and Mrs. Watson are sure she'll find it inspirational, but Mercy is more excited by the prospect of real butter on Bottomless Buckets of popcorn. Familiar characters from other adventures-Police Officer Tomilello, Animal Control Officer Francine Poulet, and reformed robber Leroy Ninker-are also at the Bijou. They leap into action when Mercy, with snout in the air, follows the irresistible scent of butter to waiting cars with windows down. "People screamed. People laughed. People fainted. Mercy kept eating." When the Watsons realize that their porcine wonder is missing, they join the chase, which ends only when two clever firemen catch up to her and suggest a treat of buttered toast. Though no one gets to see the movie, they all eat toast together, which, for Mercy, is a very happy ending. Illustrations are done in gouache using a bright, retro palette of glossy colors, bringing the text vibrantly to life. All of the elements of the earlier stories are here-jovial characters, good-humored mayhem, and effortless repetition that moves the story forward while allowing emerging readers to peruse it themselves. Youngsters are sure to delight in the exploits of this butter-loving pig, savoring DiCamillo's "wonky in the extreme" text and Van Dusen's energetic, innocent art.-Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.