A small mouse falls in love with a human princess and is banished to the dungeon. A clever rat, born in the dungeon, longs for the world of light above. A farm girl turned serving maid has dreams above her station. When these three stories intersect, adventure ensues.

For me, this book is the high point of DiCamillo's writing to date, though I have enjoyed most of her stories and loved some of them. The characters are delightful, and though the book has that fairy-tale feel, it doesn't keep the reader at a distance the way fairy tales sometimes can. There's lots of humor and plenty of adventure. I've been reading it serially to a group of elementary school students, and they eagerly await each instalment. Reader, there is so much light here, if only you will look. ( )

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. And what happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.

After being banished from the kingdom of Dor for wanting to be a knight, Despereaux, a mouse with over-sized ears, sets off with his friend Roscuro on a quest to rescue a princess and save the kingdom from darkness.

Month of January 2022: Young Reader’s Classics

READING LEVEL: 4.7 AR POINTS: 5.0
(Ages 7-10, grades 2-5)

Originally published in 2003. If it’s not a “classic” yet, it sure will be, already written 18 years ago. The author won a John Newbery Medal.

What a super cute children’s story! This one lands right up there, actually right below my top favorite young children’s book, “Jack: The (Fairly) True Tale of Jack and the Beanstalk” by Liesl Shurtliff.

I was able to find an adorable used little 8” plush Despereaux mouse on eBay to go with this book, which I will be giving to my daughter-in-law for her class. She is a Kindergarten teacher. They no longer sell the mouse in stores. So, you know, get it while the gettin’s good.

This is a story about a misfit mouse, Despereaux, who falls in love with the Princess Pea and desires, against mouse tradition, to be in the company of humans, and a misfit rat, Chiaroscuro, Roscuro for short, who feels the need and pull towards the light of the outside world, away from the dark and evil dungeon that rats love.

The rats kidnap the Princess Pea and brings her deep into the underground dungeon of the castle where she will never be found and never be happy nor see light again. But, Despereaux’s love for her is greater than his fears of the rats and so becomes the knight in shining armor, armed with a red spool of thread and a needle for a sword.

As their worlds collide, the light of love shines above all and wins. You will see…love always wins out in more ways than one.

BOOK-TO-MOVIE

“The Tale of Despereaux” (2008) animated cartoon
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Despereaux plush toy - used, on eBay, is the only place to find them now. ( )

Revenge is never a good idea as actions have consequences even unintended ones. Despereaux, a mouse, falls in love with a human, Princess Pea, knowing humans and rodents don't mix. He strives to rescue the princess from the castle dungeon being held by the villainous rats. Despereaux learns life lessons that even the tiniest mouse can show as much bravery as a knight. The reader walks away with the idea that forgiveness is as helpful to the forgiver as it is to the person who's forgiven. Winner of the Newbery Medal in 2004. ( )