Mercy: The Incredible Story of Henry Bergh, Founder of the ASPCA and Friend to Animals Hardcover – April 5, 2016

Great book and story. Like other reviewers have said, there are some graphic parts, so younger kids may need some explanation (or parents should avoid those parts). But it is the reality of how animals were treated then (and probably still are by some people), and shows how Mr. Bergh put his life and reputation on the line to fight some horrid people to protect the animals they were abusing. The author is also passionate about protecting animals, and has rescued so many animals herself and volunteers her time at local shelters. She is particularly devoted to rabbits, who--despite being super-social and loving and take quickly to litter boxes (like cats)--are some of the most abused animals on the face of the earth, yet are largely ignored by shelters and animal rescue groups. I adopted my own house rabbit from the shelter where Ms. Furstinger volunteers, and she was instrumental in rescuing him from an abusive situation at the time she was writing this book. Guess what his name is? Mr. Henry Bergh! He'll keep that name as a tribute to what his namesake has done for the welfare of animals in this country.

I am a big fan of Nancy Furstinger's and was anxious to read her new book, "Mercy"! I was not disappointed. As a child, "Black Beauty was one of my very favorite books although had me in tears at times - I was a little concerned that Mercy might affect me this way too. However, Nancy writes so well and does such a wonderful job of telling the story of Henry Bergh's life that she never elaborated on the terrible cruelty he encountered, but concentrated more on him working to prevent it. This is a must read for anyone at any age - but especially for children because it is a true story that will teach them how animals feel pain just like we do and that cruelty to animals is unacceptable.The art work in this book was perfect, especially for that time period. Pictures and illustrations are very much a part of a child's imagination as the written word - and this book combines both beautifully.

Great biography! It is wonderful to broaden the historical character list from the traditional people we always read about.

An interesting and educational book, it's a hard read because descriptions of animal abuse are vivid. This abuse must be told in order to make the book valuable, however. It is written for children grades 3-5. I'm not sure about that. If a caring adult is nearby, maybe, but I had a hard time reading the descriptions of abuse.The story of ASPCA founder, Henry Bergh, shows a man who was dedicated to a cause, took criticism for his work but didn’t give up, no matter what. He is to be thanked.He grew up as a rich, spoiled and described as lazy, man. He proved his detractors wrong. He not only founded The ASPCA, he founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. During the twenty-two years of his work, he had prosecuted 12,000 animal cruelty cases.Drawings and photographs accompany the story, which adds interest, and facts about the organization are stated in the book’s back pages.The ASPCA is now one of the largest animal welfare organizations in the world. More than two million citizens support the organization.Worth reading, interesting but jarring, the book is an eye opener and it has made Henry Bergh a hero in my eyes.I gave the book four stars because I'm just not comfortable with the age group for which the book is written.

As someone who currently has 3 rescued cats and 2 rescued dogs, the topic of Henry Bergh and the start of the ASPCA was certainly one I was interested in. Knowing that animal rescue was not always appreciated in the past, I was curious as to how this long-lasting institution got its start. And while the book definitely covers this, it does so in a very uneven fashion.First, the book is designated for grades 3-5. I think 3rd grade might be on the lower end of the spectrum for a couple of reasons. First, the author seems to forget what audience she is writing for, using words that would stump some adults, let alone 3rd graders. Second, the when writing about the animal cruelty prevalent during Bergh's time, the author tends to err on the "too much information" side. Often, the descriptions are overdone and gory, particularly for that age group. As a parent or a teacher, I would definitely suggest that this book be reviewed before using as part of a curriculum or read-aloud in class, or even just handed off to the young animal lover in the home.The artwork in the book didn't seem to mesh with the topic. It would have been much better served had it had more actual photographs, particularly with the emphasis on history throughout the story itself. The cartoonish nature of the artwork seemed only to emphasize the cruelty portrayed, rather than just demonstrating it.The "informative sidebars" were definitely informative, and quite often interesting, however they were also a major distraction from the story itself. It's sort of like they were just popped in there to kind of take up space and because the author had so much information and couldn't bear to leave any of it out.However, having said all of that - the story of Bergh itself is quite a fascinating one, particularly in light of the fact that his ASPCA still thrives today and is still working on the mission that he originally founded it with. He certainly was a forward-looking man, though an odd one, who valued compassion and believed that all creatures deserved to be treated with respect.An interesting book, though with some distinct flaws that take away from the overall success of the story.