LEROY NINKER SADDLES UP

Kate DiCamillo is one of America’s most beloved storytellers. She is the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and a two-time Newbery Medalist. She is the author of many books for young readers, including The Tale of Despereaux, which received a Newbery Medal; Because of Winn-Dixie, which received a Newbery Honor; The Tiger Rising, a National Book Award Finalist; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, winner of a Boston Globe–Horn Book Award; The Magician’s Elephant; and the best-selling Mercy Watson series. Born in Philadelphia, she grew up in Florida and now lives in Minneapolis, where she faithfully writes two pages a day, five days a week.

Author Website

Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of The Circus Ship and King Hugo’s Huge Ego, and the illustrator of all six books about Mercy Watson. He lives in Maine.

Artist Website

New York Public Library: 100 Books for Reading and Sharing

“DiCamillo effortlessly slips back into the comfortable rhythms of Mercy’s world, infusing every chapter with subdued wit, warmth, and heart.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Spot art, full-page art, and double-page spreads with Van Dusen’s characteristic shiny-faced characters infuse the plot with extra energy and expression. Part cowboy story and part pet love story, this multi-layered tale beautifully balances comically exaggerated details and true spirit. Mercy Watson fans will enjoy being back in the saddle in this slightly more advanced spin-off.”—The Horn Book

“Fans of Mercy Watson will delight in meeting Maybelline, a horse who loves to hear the melody of pretty words, likes the company of others, and enjoys spaghetti noodles. … Van Dusen’s black-and-white cartoon pictures provide a lighthearted humor that makes the book a good choice for transitioning readers. Character driven, this fast-paced story is sure to please. A fun new edition to the cast and crew of ‘Mercy Watson.'”—School Library Journal

1. On page 8, Beatrice tells Leroy to “take fate in your hands and wrestle it to the ground.” What is fate? Can you physically wrestle it? What does she mean by this advice?

2. On his way to respond to the ad about a horse, why does Leroy imagine that he is on the open plain (page 12)?

3. When Leroy meets Maybelline, he follows Beatrice’s earlier advice to inspect her teeth and hooves. Do you think Beatrice would consider four teeth an indication of a good, healthy horse? Why or why not?

4. Why do you think Patty LeMarque keeps calling Leroy “Hank”?

5. Is instinctuals a real word (page 21)? What about poeticals (page 28)? What does Patty mean when she uses these made-up words? What are some real words she could have used to convey the same meaning?

6. What are the three rules Leroy needs to remember about Maybelline? How well does he remember them?

7. When Leroy first gets on Maybelline, the world feels different to him: “The colors were deeper. The sun shone brighter” (page 24). Why do you think Leroy feels this way?

8. Is an apartment a good place for a horse? Why or why not? What are some of the problems Leroy encounters when he brings Maybelline back home with him?

9. Do you think Leroy wants to be a cowboy and “fight injustice” (page 2) because he once was a thief?

10. How does Leroy feel about Maybelline? How does Maybelline feel about Leroy?