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Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
Aug 2003, 272 pages
Paperback:
Apr 2006, 272 pages
Book Reviewed by:
BookBrowse Review Team
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From the book jacket: 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. And what happens
then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.
From the master storyteller who brought us Because of Winn-Dixie comes
another classic, a fairy tale full of quirky, unforgettable characters,
featuring twenty-four stunning black-and-white illustrations by Timothy Basil
Ering, in an elegant design that pays tribute to the best in classic children’s
books and bookmaking traditions.
Comment: There are an awful lot of children's books out there about mice
including such classics as Stuart Little and the Redwall series. In
fact, one could be led to believe that the children's book market was saturated
when it comes to stories about rodents - but think again! The Tale of
Despereaux is a very charming story about a very charming mouse with lots of
twists and turns and old-fashioned chivalry, perfect for 7-12 year olds, and
great to read aloud.
This review
first ran in the April 20, 2006
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