I had to make a first review here in protest at such junk packaged as high-brow kids lit. The dark content is off-putting, but all the more so because it comes with an exceedingly poor plot & is written in an achingly moronic style. Honestly, I think the book adaptations of straight to dvd barbie movies exhibit better literary flair. I'll reprint here another reviewers thoughts that echo my own...

Honestly a terribly written book. Those who think otherwise need to go back and look at Trumpet of the Swan or Charlotte's Web, just for a start. It is needlessly and endlessly repetitive ("the light, the light!" ugh, no need to bash children over the head), boring, dark, unimaginative, nonsensically cruel, and insulting to the intelligence ("now, reader, this is important:"). I'm astounded that this won a medal. There are much better investments of time and money, and no, I certainly DON'T mean Harry Potter.

A few weeks ago I saw a preview for the movie version of DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, and not knowing a bit about the storyline, thought the movie looked kinda cute. Beautiful colors and wonderful lines in the animation, a cute little mouse of a hero, and I do love Matthew Broderick (the voice of Despereaux). Even if it did look faintly like "Ratatouille," I felt excited about the movie and thought I'd finally read the book.

The immediate problem: I am not sure a filmmaker on earth could have captured the magic of this book. It is almost indescribable to me, the way this book made me feel. Then again, I felt the same way about reading Charlotte's Web, and I do think the 2006 film version did it a lovely bit of justice. So maybe there's no excuse for why filmmakers for Despereaux felt they needed to throw in a big mean cat (not in the book), mouse school (not there either), and a field of vicious mousetraps (nope, nope, nope). The book is about being brave, yes, but not being brave because of danger. It's about being brave enough to be who you were born to be.

Despereaux is born different from all the other mice - bigger ears, smaller body. And born with his EYES OPEN (which no mouse, apparently, ever is). He is drawn to light, he feels music in his body like the sound of honey ("sound," he says, not "smell"). He loves books not for the glue or paper to chew on, but for the tales they weave and truths they create. And he doesn't fear humans, but falls in love with them, well - with one in particular. He is brave not because he is being pursued by the castle cat, but because he himself pursues something transcendent in his life - light and love. Not what anyone expects of a mouse!

This is such a gorgeous, lush, lovely book. It made me chuckle, frown, and cry just a little. DiCamillo's storytelling is like silk - luxurious and soft, and sturdy and sure. I love the narrator, how he/she directly addresses the "reader." I love how in such a short span of time and space, these characters are made complicated and complex. Everything is not perfect, noone is without their faults. How did DiCamillo create a world so divine and still so infinitely human? She's amazing.

My throat tightened (as it does now) upon reading the "Coda" to Despereaux's tale:

Do you remember when Despereaux was in the dungeon, cupped in Gregory the jailer's hand, whispering a story in the old man's ear?

I would like it very much if you thought of me as a mouse telling you a story, this story, with the whole of my heart, whispering it in your ear in order to save myself from the darkness, and to save you from the darkness, too.

"Stories are light," Gregory the jailer told Despereaux.

Reader, I hope you have found some light here.

Oh, yes, I found light. For me, it was as bright as the sun.

The Tale of Despereaux
This is a tale of forgiveness, when forgiveness is hard; love, through all the storms in life, and light through all the darkness.

Despereaux, a small mouse with large ears, wasn't interested in nibbling on the large books in the castle, along with his sister. Instead, he began reading wonderful stories about princesses, knights in shining armor and happily-ever-after. Lured by music, Despereaux found himself in the presence of the Princess Pea and the King. When he first spotted the Princess Pea, he knew he was in Love. His mother, father, brother and the entire mouse council turned against him, for proclaiming his love for the princess.

Despereaux was measured for a noose, of red thread and taken to the dungeon. Never has a mouse survived the dungeon; not with all the hungry rats waiting for a tasty treat.

Love, forgiveness, bravery and a good story may save the life of Despereaux, but who will save the princess? She has been lured into the dungeon by a young girl, Miggery Sow, who wants to be a princess and a rat named Roscuro, who longs to live in the light.

You and your family will enjoy the tale of Despaureax. Parts of this story may be scary for younger children. There is also the mistreatment of the young Miggery Sow.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat

I highly suggest any parent, or child to read this book before seeing the movie. The author grabs the reader as if pulling the reader to be a part of the book that will not be captivated in the same manner in the movie. The chapters are short, entralling. It draws you in quickly, and if you read to your child, its a book that draws even my five year old son to ask for me to keep on, and looks forward to the next day to hear the upcoming chapter. It teaches new words for young readers, and the imagination is just wonderful. The quality of the make of the book is exceptional. The edges of the pages unique, and for reason that you have to read to why the pages are rough like they are. This indeed is a book to treasure for any age.

This book heaps wickedness, cruelty, evil, and despair on its main character, and through him, on your child.

The pitiless scorn of his family, the contempt of the mouse council and all the mice, and the death sentence with which the tiny young mouse is condemned, all for being good, all for being different... all within the first few chapters... to offer this to a child as children's literature is utterly corrupt.

To give children's literature characters who engage in psychological torture for fun, like the rats... or a character whose father sells her for trinkets to a man who beats her until she loses her hearing, like Miggery, or a king who GIVES UP on the search for his captive daughter because it is simply too difficult... what is this book burdening my children with? I stopped reading it to them after Despereaux fell in love with the princess and was summoned to the council.

I read the rest of the book to myself, with a growing sense of disgust that somehow the Newbery award was granted to this putrid book. To recommend this book to other parents would be an act of depravity. To write it for children must have taken an unimaginable level of malice toward innocence and beauty.

The more I read this book, the more I fall in love with it and its sweet, direct-to-you narrative and the simple, adorable story of a mouse who has fallen in love with a princess. Add in a variety of wonderful characters who all find themselves connected, and you have a veritable children's masterpiece.

This is a lovely book. From the rough cut page edges to the wonderful drawings to the author speaking directly to the reader and finally to the story itself! I loved it so much that it has become one of my very favorites. What's better (maybe, one never knows) is that it is coming out in film soon. Buy it for anyone who can dream, wants to dream or is a child literally or figuratively.

This is a very good book. I can't wait for the movie to come out this Christmas 2008. This book would be perfect to read aloud to a classroom of young children. I will be ordering other books by the same author!

Kate DeCamillo write such wonderful characters! Despereaux, Chiaroscuro, miggery Sow-- all fabulous, even if they happen to be villains. the fact that DiCamillo gives each character's sad backstory makes all of them just that much more believable. What a great fairy tale! Soup for everyone!

This is one of my favorite books of all time! It's a beautiful story. The plot and characters are amazing! You feel like the author is really talking to you. She tells you things and you know she is because she says "Dear reader" when telling you something. At one point in the story she tells you to look a word up in the dictionary because she knows you might not know what it means. Desperaux lives in a castle with a beautiful princess who he soon falls in love with. He is a strange little mouse. Infact, he was born with his eyes open. He can read also. He meets different people there in the castle: a servant girl who is jealous of the princess, was sold by her own father and beaten; and there are plenty of others. If you like this book, you would also enjoy "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane".

This is one of my favorite books of all time! It's a beautiful story. The plot and characters are amazing! You feel like the author is really talking to you. She tells you things and you know she is because she says "reader" when telling you something. At one point in the story she tells you to look a word up in the dictionary because she knows you might not know what it means. If you like this book, you would also enjoy "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane".

Since Disney is planning to have this book come out as a movie in December, it is the perfect time to read this book in class. Then the class could go on a field trip to see the movie for a Christmas treat.

I love how the book talks to the "reader" and teaches vocabulary while telling the story. Great for schools.

I read this to my 6 year old son after my 11 year old mentioned that he really liked it when they read it back in fourth grade. My six year old begged me to read more and more every night. It is written so well! It kept his attention throughout - even though it talks about love and princesses! It is a great little adventure and it covers some intense and complicated feelings and experiences that are hard for younger kids to grasp, but it is written in a way that makes it accessible for them too. It is a great read!

I found this book to be rather stupid and a pathetic story to boot. First of all, who would name a princess Pea? But, more to the point, the story includes a girl who is sold by her father and then beaten up by her owner. Why is that a good plot line for a childrens' book? My nine-year-old daughter liked it however. I thought some of the plot twists and turns odd like the jailer and the dungeon he works in. And the Miggery Sow character sad, and not at all sympathetic. I liked the little mouse, however. I just did not like it. I don't know why kids do.

I have to read 4 Newbery Award books for a College Literature class I am taking this summer. This book has been the best so far! I have refound my LONG lost love for Children's literature! Read it aloud to a child and watch their eyes sparkle! It is wonderful! I am reading it silently alone because I have a strict time limit, but I am also reading it nightly to my 10 and 2 year old children. Even my 2 year old just lays by my side in wonder as I read this charming tale. This is one to keep on the book shelf for years to come!

I read this book with my 6-year-old. I'm sorry to say, dear reader, that it is simply mawkish. Talk about overrated. Not much goes on but a lot of ugly imagery of child abuse and torture dressed up to seem deep and wise. A little red thread around the throat of a condemned mouse--ooooh!!!!! How sophomoric. The fact that it's won awards is a case of the Emperor's New Clothes.

Dear reader, lest the reference is not clear, in the Emperor's New Clothes, the crowd applauds and compliments the emperor for his fine clothes. The crowd does this because they believe they're looking at something very grand, which only grand people can see, and that if they don't acknowledge its greatness, they will be revealed for the dolts they are. In fact, the emperor is NOT wearing finery. He's completely naked.

I almost titled my review "Epic Love Story" but thought I would be mocked, because this is, after all, the tale of a mouse and his princess.

This charming, funny, poignant and lovely book deserves dozens and dozens of stars, not just the paltry 5 Amazon will let me give it. Buy it for anyone on your list who needs a little lift, or for yourself if you need a giggle. You'll love reading it, and you'll love reading it aloud.

Kate DiCamillo is a sprightly sprite, with a self-deprecating and inclusive sense of humor and a love of life that shines through in everything she writes. After you're done with Despereaux, don't miss Edward Tulane, Winn-Dixie, Mercy Watson, or any of her other creations, because you will never be disappointed.

By Joanna

The Tale of Despereaux is about a tiny, little, un-wanted mouse, who has exceptionally long ears. Despereaux (the mouse) meets a beautiful princess, but he breaks an important rule: NO TALKING TO HUMANS! When the Mouse Council hears this, Despereaux gets thrown into a prison full of rats. Despereaux wants to try and be brave for the princess!

The adventures are SO wonderful in the book. With the rest of the book, I'm NOT telling the end! The author, Kate DiCamillo, I think is saying in the book is that even small animals can be heroes! I would love to live in the Kingdom of Dor (the setting of the story!)! I would recommend this to people ages six to adults and up.

THE END

I read this book to my fourth grade class for two years running and the students really enjoy it. It is a great fictional story with humor, suspense, love, and excitement. The students couldn't wait till I finished so they could borrow my copy and reread it themselves. It is a definite must-have for a child's home library!

I've restumbled upon this book in search of gems for my 7 year old cousin, but I quite disagree with the age range. It may be a great read aloud book for young ones, but I first read it as a sophomore in college (an honors student none the less) and found many words that even I had to look up. Don't discount it as too childish for those over 12. It really is an enjoyable read.

I was very excited to read this story. Kate DiCamillo is a talented author. Before I continue I want to point out that I am an adult and enjoy reading books for all ages. However, although this book is marketed for 9-12 year olds, I felt it should be for children much younger. The story begins well, but then the author addresses the reader throughout the book, often talking down to them as if they don't know anything. I found this not only distracting, but I thought it didn't give kids enough credit. Children are smart, they get it. I don't beleive they need to be hit over the head with points or asked to look up words in the dictionary while enjoying a good book. That said, I thought the story ended too easily. There was great build up and controversy as everything came to a head, but then the story just kind of petered out. A great build up needs a great ending. I was disappointed.

A friend of mine recommended this book to me for when my son gets a little older. I'm also really looking forward to someday reading it myself, but these reviews are giving too much of the story away! Some of the reviews go on for paragraphs, giving away the whole story and even the ending!

Please stop giving the away the plot of the book in the reviews. Just stick to why you did or did not like it. Since the people who are reading the reviews are mostly those who are thinking about purchasing the book in the future, it would be ever so helpful.

My 8yr old daughter and I read this together. I actually looked forward to bedtime to dive back into the story. Some of the storyline is cruel but not too over the top. Despereaux is an inspiring character who overcomes his fears. Something we talk about a lot. We both loved the story and were sad to see it end. It would make a enchanting play.

This is an enchanting story full of magic intertwined with real world truths, evil step "uncles", hardened rats, and uncaring employers as well as a heroic mouse, and a charming princess. I think it would be an enjoyable read aloud for younger students and a fine diversion for adults and everyone in between. You can take what you want from this book, a simple light fairy tale or as a journey into a philosophy of light and dark. I disagree with the reviewers who felt that the princess was portrayed as good only because of her beauty. The author clearly lets the readers know that the princess possesses far greater attributes, such as kindness and empathy, which give her an inner light that far outshines any physical beauty she possesses. In the end, light prevails because the main characters, Princess Pea and Despereaux have exhibited both hope and love. But, as I mentioned before, you can make what you will from this captivating tale. I found it very enjoyable and hope to read more by this talented author.

Despereaux is an endearing character and the story starts out excitedly with his adventures. It goes downhill from there. There is little to endear all the other characters (besides Despereaux) in the book to anyone. They're all terribly stupid, cruel, lemmings, or simple. And there is no sympathy for anybody. I was not at all enchanted with the plotline, nor how their stories came together.

I really wanted to love this book, I savored reading it and put it off for years looking forward to it. But after reading it, I was unfortunately disappointed in the tale. I would have to alternatively recommend highly, as another reader did, the REDWALL series, and POPPY. And STUART LITTLE or CHARLOTTE'S WEB.

I really did not like this book very much because I don't like to read about people dying. It was also hard to tell sometime what was a dream in the book and what was really a part of the story. I think it was confusing to read sometimes. I liked the characters of Despereaux and Princess Pea. I also like reading about Miggery Sow when she was little, but I didn't like her when she got older.

This is a well written story and very quick to read. Each chapter isonly a few pages long. Making it ideal for kids or are just graduating from their first chapter books into longer books. Desperaux is a mouse with a dream, he is in love with the Princess Pea and due to his innate ability to read and appreaciate a story about a knight, he envisions himself as Pea's knight in shining armor.

Which by the end of the book is ends up b eing, in his own mouse way.

The characters have a sweetness to them, but they all have a great sadness to them as well, it is a darker story than I was originally anticipating from just the story synopsis. While things all get resolved in the end it still isn't exactly a happily ever after.

The tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo is an amazing book filled with joy, darkness, bravery, romance and adventure. This story is about a mouse, Desperaux, who just doesn't seem to fit in with the other mice. Desperaux loved to read and listen to music. One day, he heard music and followed it. The sound was the King singing Princess Pea to sleep. All at once, he seemed to be falling in love with Princess Pea. Little did he know that jeoulosy, hate, and darkness would come together and try to take away his precious Pea. Can Desperaux, being as little and timid as he was, save Princess Pea from harm's way? Find out when you read The Tale of Desperaux. The first time I read this book, I got hooked, and it's been my favorite book ever since.

It has been said in other reviews that this book is more interesting for girls than boys. My 10 year old son read it in one day and LOVED it. My 7 year old daughter is loving it as well. Kate Dicamillo's writng style draws the reader in quickly and doesn't let go. She is fabulous and I really appreciate the explanations of words that may be new to the reader. I learned a few things myself. ENJOY!!!

The Tale of Despereaux is a very good book. It is an adventure love story about a mouse falling in love with a princess named Pea and some where along the way in the story the princess gets taken away to a secret place in the castle dungeon. No one can find her because the darkness even with candles is too much. In the end no one can find but a mouse by the power of love, he sets out to find the princess.

I first read this story to my gifted third grade class last year. They absolutely loved it and wanted me to keep reading it during any spare moment we had. I read it again this year and my new class loved it as well. I really like the way the author talks to her audience and makes the reader feel like she's written the story just for them. I look forward to it becoming an annual read aloud in my classroom.

I really enjoyed this book, it's cute, clever and sweet and the pictures are absolutely ADORABLE. I can really see why it got a Newbery Award. I liked the end and the beginnig the best. I didn't really enjoy the part about the girl, I forget her name. That's why this book gets 4 stars and not 5. The part about Desperaux was so sweet. I loved it. I also think this is not only a story for girls, because I think boys might like the part about the rat.

This is a book I very much wanted to love more than I actually did. The writing is very stylish and engaging - much more so than the story itself which was frequently oddly distasteful and in great contrast with the quality of its execution. On the plus side, Ms. Dicamillo writes in a breezy, somewhat eighteenth century buffo style, with charming asides to the reader and witty, quirky jests about the foibles and imperfections of her characters. The words tumble out with the ease of a Mozart aria. I kept thinking, "I wish I could write like this." The somewhat long and complicated plot juxtaposes multiple parallel storylines that cross each other in the final chapter, giving the story a tightly knit structure. This is all topped off with a appealing piquant sense of the absurd. So why haven't I given it 5 stars? The story doesn't match the pristine quality of its presentation. This is faux heroism/romanticism being passed off as the real thing. The book is seriously tarnished by a forced, preachy, Polyannaish, politically correct denouement. The details of the book are often oddly and pervasively touched by the tawdry. The presentation of the mouse's intense, romantic love for the princess is bizarre in its total unnaturalness, so much so that one could expect them to marry at the end of the story (doesn't happen). The moral presented in this story is, for me, a bland and disappointing non-sequitur of pacifistic moral relativism masquerading as a simple exhortation for children to understand and learn forgiveness. By negating evil, the thrilling heroism of this dear little mouse is sadly diminished. Too bad - this really promised to be a superlative book.

Despereaux was a mouse that was born small and with big ears. He fell in love with music and with a princess a(human) and Despereaux goes across arat and other obsticles to try to save his love. he is almost killed by his own kind and rats and humans to rescue the princess pea in this romantic story. I thought this was a very nice fairy tale that i really recomend

My child loves to be read to, and to read. We have gone through contemporary books and classics, Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, The Cricket in Times Square. We have read a lot of books. Usually they have good dialogue and characters with relationships based on lively experiences.

This book was not usual. It felt like the author was unable to create character desciptions with any weight. It was really hard to keep going on reading this every night. It is the first time we have felt this way about a chapter book.

It is okay, not horrible. I just can't figure out why it won a medal. Children don't need to be told feel wonder here. They just do, when a story is good.

[...]

This tale of a small, intellagent, and courageous mouse named Desperaux, was a very well written story. It starts of with Desperaux being born and how he is different from the other mice. Later he meets a this wonderful and special princess and will do anything to save her life.

I thought it as a wonderful and interesting book. I loved how the author ( Kate Dicamillo) was descriptive: I could see everything clear in my mind. This book was very well written with interesting twist and turns. You couldn't tell what was coming next.

Although this book was clear and descriptive, there were some some things i didn't seem to like. As you read you will notice it does get sad. I don't hate sad boos i just find them hard to read. Also as you read you will find that the King does some drastic things just to get rid if the pain. The things he did were very silly.

Even though this book had some ups and downs to me doesn't mean you will feel the same way. What will your feelings be? Will they be the same or the total opisitte? Read the book to find out! I give this book 4 stars and recommend this book to kids in fourth grade and up. Have fun reading.

When I read this book I was blown away! I recomend it for girls and boys of all grades. It's about a tiny mouse having to save a human princess from the deep, dark dungeon. Plus it has many awsome themes such as bravery; Despereaux uses his strength to travel deep down into the dungeon...alone! Another theme is love/compassion, Despereaux risks his OWN life to save a HUMAN princess from the evil rats! If I could be one of the characters I would be Despereaux!(of course) I am different and brave, only sometimes, and would risk my life for a loved one too! Man, isn't this cool!?

There are also some symbols in this book too. For example, the needle symbolises bravery and death! Also, the thread symbolises hope because Despereaux depends on the thread as he goes into the dungeon and it will guide him back to where he started when he is done. In conclusion, The Tales of Despereaux is a awsome book to read and I hope you enjoy it! =) ^_^

The Tale Of Despereaux is a sad story about a mouse named Despereaux who was born with his eyes open and had big ears. He was not a normal mouse. He was strange to his brothers and sisters. The story is also about three more characters: a rat, a princess, and a poor little girl. The rat lives in a dungeon and makes the prisoners suffer while they live in there. His Chiaroscuro, but is called Roscuro. He is the reason the king died. Princess Pea is the reason Despereaux was sent to the dungeon. It all started when the king was singing to the princess. Then Despereaux listened to it and loved it. He started to closer and closer until the princess saw him. Then she asked her dad to sing to him, her dad refused to sing to him. That's when the mouse started falling in love with Princess Pea. Despereaux was also amused with the light. In the middle of the book the king ordered that soup be illegal in the kingdom. The theme of the story is that a mouse, a rat, and a princess can live together in the same place. The book does not say when it took place, but the setting is the Kingdom of Dor. I really like the book because it was amusing interesting, exciting, and surprising. I REALLY LOVED IT!

I read this as a bedtime book for my boys -- 4 and 6 years old, respectively. It was a bit intense at times, to be sure, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some scenes required discussion -- but again, that's not so terrible. It gave me a chance to talk to my guys in new ways about old subjects -- love, fairness, the "right" thing to do, that sort of thing.

Some reviewers have complained about the harsh nature of the story. Here's the thing: life has hard parts. Life is largely good, in my experience, but the fact is that we all go through rough things. Books that are only sunshine are really not that interesting.

Parents know their kids -- if tough emotional stuff is too scary for them, wait till they're old enough. But I can speak to the fact that some little ones can love it. I know I did!

My 4th grader and I just finished "The Tale of Despereaux". He loved the mystery and the "Knight in Shining Armor". i loved the romance -- I have to admit, I finished it one afternoon because I HAD to find out what happened next!!!
The Tale of Despereaux is a delightful story that non-readers will love to hear, parents will love to read, and UNWILLING 10-YEAR-OLD BOYS will enjoy so much THEY won't want to put it down!!