The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate Dicamillo
Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
Published by Candlewick Press
on August 25, 2003
Genre: Children's, Fantasy
Length: 267 pages
Ages: 9 - 12 years
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Literary Awards:
Mitten Award Nominee for Honor Book (2003)
Newbery Medal (2004)
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Children's Literature (2004)
Blue Hen Book Award for Chapter Book (2005)
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2005)
Golden Archer Award for Intermediate (2005)
Indian Paintbrush Book Award (2005)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award for 3-5 (2005)
Maine Student Book Award (2005)
Golden State Book Award (2006)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (2006)
New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Young Adult (2006)
Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for Children's (2006)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award for Junior (2006)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2006)
Synopsis:
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository
Literary Awards:
Mitten Award Nominee for Honor Book (2003)
Newbery Medal (2004)
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Children's Literature (2004)
Blue Hen Book Award for Chapter Book (2005)
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2005)
Golden Archer Award for Intermediate (2005)
Indian Paintbrush Book Award (2005)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award for 3-5 (2005)
Maine Student Book Award (2005)
Golden State Book Award (2006)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (2006)
New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Young Adult (2006)
Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for Children's (2006)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award for Junior (2006)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2006)
Synopsis:
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. What happens then? As Kate Dicamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.
Our Thoughts:
The Tale of Despereaux is a fantastic tale about a brave little mouse, a rat, a princess, and... soup. Despereaux Tilling is a unique little mouse that stands out apart from his fellow mice--for doing such things as reading the books instead of eating them and talking to humans--and is banished to the dark dungeons for it. But luck and a helpful jailer help him back into the light, where he learns of a heinous plan to kidnap the princess and is determined to be the brave knight he read about and save the Princess, Pea.
The Tale of Despereaux is a fantastic tale about a brave little mouse, a rat, a princess, and... soup. Despereaux Tilling is a unique little mouse that stands out apart from his fellow mice--for doing such things as reading the books instead of eating them and talking to humans--and is banished to the dark dungeons for it. But luck and a helpful jailer help him back into the light, where he learns of a heinous plan to kidnap the princess and is determined to be the brave knight he read about and save the Princess, Pea.
We've been reading handfuls of picture books and 'easy readers' at bedtime since the beginning of time but my daughter has started asking me to read whatever I'm currently reading out loud so I wanted to give chapter books a try with her. This isn't the first but it was the first thick one and took us about two weeks to finish, at two to three chapters per night.
I will admit that some of it seemed so dark that I was thankful that my little one was mostly asleep by the time I got to all the death and darkness. I glossed over what I needed to but the overall story has very difficult themes such as murder, death, and kidnapping that, luckily, I didn't have to explain because my little one was either too sleepy or too young to understand and ask about.
When asked, my daughter remembered the fairytale aspects of the story more than what I worried was a little too dark for her. She loved that Despereaux could read and that he met the Princess, Pea, and that all was well in the end.
I loved the whole anthropomorphic 'talking mice' aspect of the story, of course, but also the narration and the way the characters were introduced into the overall story.
I will admit that some of it seemed so dark that I was thankful that my little one was mostly asleep by the time I got to all the death and darkness. I glossed over what I needed to but the overall story has very difficult themes such as murder, death, and kidnapping that, luckily, I didn't have to explain because my little one was either too sleepy or too young to understand and ask about.
When asked, my daughter remembered the fairytale aspects of the story more than what I worried was a little too dark for her. She loved that Despereaux could read and that he met the Princess, Pea, and that all was well in the end.
I loved the whole anthropomorphic 'talking mice' aspect of the story, of course, but also the narration and the way the characters were introduced into the overall story.
I’m slowly working my way through all of the Newbery winners, and this is one of my favorites. It does have dark moments, but it’s also very cute.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Yes! I need to go find a list and see how many Newbery winners there are now! Thanks for stopping by, AJ! :D
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