The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse born different than all the other mice in his family. He is unusually small with big ears, he enjoys reading (rather than eating books), he loves light and music and he dreams of falling in love. Because of distinct difference from the expectations of the mice species, he is banished from his community to the castle dungeon.
Next we meet Roscuro, a ruthless mouse who lives in the dungeon and is trained to torture prisoners. Roscuro too loves light and eventually escapes to the upstairs of the castle. While perched atop a chandelier, he falls in the queen’s soup, who dies of fright. As a result, the king outlaws soup, bowls and soup kettles.
In the third section of the book, we meet Miggery Sow, a poor homely girl who was once sold into slavery by her father and is forced to work very hard. When she is disobedient she receives painful clouts to the ear and her hearing has suffered as a result. Miggery desperately wants to leave her horrible life and become a princess. She is eventually taken to the castle where she begins to work as an assistant to the royal cook. When she goes down to the dungeon to give the jailer his meal, Roscuro hides under her skirt. He convinces her that she could become a princess if she assists him in taking revenge on the princess (whom he wants to suffer).
In the fourth book, Despereaux escapes from the dungeon just in time to overhear Roscuro and Miggery’s plan to harm the princess. Miggery and Roscuro successfully kidnap the princess and take her to the dungeon. With a needle and thread as his only defense, Despereaux goes to rescue the princess himself. Miggery finds out that Roscuro has no intention of helping her become princess. In the end, Despereaux and the princess become friends who continue to live together in the castle.
This story seems like an unusual fairy tale, but DiCamillo crafts the details of these three character’s intertwined life in such a captivating way. The reader roots for Despereaux, pities Miggery’s desolate situation and sees the silver lining of goodness within Roscuro; unknowingly developing empathy for fictional characters. This book also would build a love of reading in even the most reluctant reader. She weaves the four books together so that the reader is constantly wondering how the three main character’s lives will overlap. The description and detail make the scenes within the book come to life. She truly has the gift of story telling!
I especially enjoyed this story because Kate DiCamillo is among one of my favorite authors (she is also the author of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Because of Winn Dixie and Tiger Rising) and this is a good mixture of fairy tale and fantasy--two genres that I love exploring. I would say that this book is similar to the others written by her in the use of descriptive detail, character development and subtle plot twists, but this book is among her best. This is a MUST HAVE for any library collection.
Next we meet Roscuro, a ruthless mouse who lives in the dungeon and is trained to torture prisoners. Roscuro too loves light and eventually escapes to the upstairs of the castle. While perched atop a chandelier, he falls in the queen’s soup, who dies of fright. As a result, the king outlaws soup, bowls and soup kettles.
In the third section of the book, we meet Miggery Sow, a poor homely girl who was once sold into slavery by her father and is forced to work very hard. When she is disobedient she receives painful clouts to the ear and her hearing has suffered as a result. Miggery desperately wants to leave her horrible life and become a princess. She is eventually taken to the castle where she begins to work as an assistant to the royal cook. When she goes down to the dungeon to give the jailer his meal, Roscuro hides under her skirt. He convinces her that she could become a princess if she assists him in taking revenge on the princess (whom he wants to suffer).
In the fourth book, Despereaux escapes from the dungeon just in time to overhear Roscuro and Miggery’s plan to harm the princess. Miggery and Roscuro successfully kidnap the princess and take her to the dungeon. With a needle and thread as his only defense, Despereaux goes to rescue the princess himself. Miggery finds out that Roscuro has no intention of helping her become princess. In the end, Despereaux and the princess become friends who continue to live together in the castle.
This story seems like an unusual fairy tale, but DiCamillo crafts the details of these three character’s intertwined life in such a captivating way. The reader roots for Despereaux, pities Miggery’s desolate situation and sees the silver lining of goodness within Roscuro; unknowingly developing empathy for fictional characters. This book also would build a love of reading in even the most reluctant reader. She weaves the four books together so that the reader is constantly wondering how the three main character’s lives will overlap. The description and detail make the scenes within the book come to life. She truly has the gift of story telling!
I especially enjoyed this story because Kate DiCamillo is among one of my favorite authors (she is also the author of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Because of Winn Dixie and Tiger Rising) and this is a good mixture of fairy tale and fantasy--two genres that I love exploring. I would say that this book is similar to the others written by her in the use of descriptive detail, character development and subtle plot twists, but this book is among her best. This is a MUST HAVE for any library collection.
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