The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread

Title: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Publisher: Candelwick Press, 2003
Reading Level: 4th and up
Pages: 262
Genre: Fantasy Novel










Summary:

This novel is split into four 'books'
1- A Mouse is Born
This tells of how a mouse was born with eyes wide open and very large ears; Despereaux He doesn't like to scurry like other mice. He loves reading and he loves humans. He falls in love with the Princess Pea and he talks to her. Despereaux's brother Furlough sees him and reports everything. Despereaux is sentenced to the dungeon where he will be killed by the mice. He befriends the jailor, Gregory who tells him of his past.
2- Chiaroscuro
Roscuro is a rat who loves light. He explores the upstairs and one day finds himself atop a chandilier. Princess Pea shouts out and he falls into the queen's soup. She has a heart attack and dies. Roscuro escapes to the dungeon with the queen's spoon and vows revenge on Princess Pea. The king outlaws all soup, spoons, bowls and kettles because of his grief.
3- Gor! The Tale of Miggery Sow
When 6 years old Miggery Sow (Mig) sees her mother die and is sold into slavery. The man she calls 'Unlce' works her and beats her. One day she sees Princess Pea and she decides she is going to be a princess. When the guards arrive to take away their bowls and kettles and spoons they take Mig away too because slavery is illegal. Mig begins working in the castle where she becomes fat and lazy. She has to go to the dungeon one day to deliver a meal when she meets Roscuro. He manipulates her to think she can become princess if she helps him kidnap Princess Pea.
4- Recalled to the Light
Despereaux escapes the prison on Mig's tray. The chef orders her to kill him, and Mig ends up chopping off his tail. He spends a painful night on a flour sack, while Roscuro and Mmig kidnap the princess. After much distress in the kingdom, Despereaux tells the king where Princess Pea is, but he doesn't believe him. So he sets of to rescue her himself. He goes to the dungeon and finds her and threatens to kill Roscuro. However, he begins to cry and the Princess takes pity on him. They all decide to go back upstairs and get some soup and live happily.

My Reaction:

This is a weird book. I read it all because I wanted to know what happened, but I didn't really love it. It was really different from what I'm used to and I didn't really like the change.

Potential Problems:

The mice being mean to Despereaux. Unlce beating Mig. Roscuro and Mig kidnapping the princess, tails being chopped off, and people getting sent to the dungeon. Parents and teachers will have to decide whether they want to read this to their children, or have their children read it.

Recommendations:

I personally don't recommned this book because I didn't love it. I struggled to get through it because I wasn't very intrigued, and when I finished I wasn't very satisfied with it.