Module 4: The Tale of Despereaux

Book Summary: This book is about a few characters.  The main one is Desperaux – the mouse that is unlike any other mouse.  He was the only surviving mouse of the litter, and born with ears that are too big, a body that is too small and his opened way too early in his life.  He begins to talk to humans and threatens the existence of mice as we know it.

APA Reference of Book: DiCamillo, K. (2006). The Tale of Despereaux. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Impressions: The book is funny and cute and makes you smile throughout.  This is a great adventure story that keeps you on your toes and I liked that all the characters are connected in the end.  The book is very descriptive and uses vibrant words to make you understand the circumstances and the characters better. 

Professional Review:  Despereaux Tilling is not like the other mice in the castle. He's smaller than average, with larger than average ears. He'd rather read books than eat them. And he's in love with a human being--Princess Pea. Because he dares to consort with humans, the Mouse Council votes to send him to the dungeon. Book the First ends with Despereaux befriending a jailer who resides there. Books two and three introduce Roscuro, a rat with a vendetta against Princess Pea, and Miggery Sow, a young castle servant who longs to become a princess. Despereaux disappears from the story for too long during this lengthy middle section, but all the characters unite in the final book when Roscuro and Miggery kidnap Princess Pea at knifepoint and Despereaux, armed with a needle and a spool of thread, makes a daring rescue. Framing the book with the conventions of a Victorian novel ("Reader, do you believe that there is such a thing as happily ever after?"), DiCamillo tells an engaging tale. The novel also makes good use of metaphor, with the major characters evoked in images of light and illumination; Ering's black-and-white illustrations also emphasize the interplay of light and shadow. The metaphor becomes heavy-handed only in the author's brief, self-serving coda. Many readers will be enchanted by this story of mice and princesses, brave deeds, hearts "shaded with dark and dappled with light," and forgiveness.

Sieruta, P. D. (2003). The Tale of Despereaux. (Book Review). Horn Book Magazine, 79(5), 609-610.

Library Uses: I would have the kids do some research on what a mouse should be like and then make a comparison chart of how Despereaux is different.  I would then have them discuss if they think that being different is a good thing or a bad thing?