Marshmallow has always enjoyed the books of Kate DiCamillo. She has also reviewed a handful of them for the book bunnies blog. (See her posts about Flora and Ulysses, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Magician’s Elephant.) Today she reviews The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by DiCamillo. Originally published in 2003, The Tale of Despereaux won the 2004 Newbery Medal and it was the first book by DiCamillo that the book bunny household read–or more accurately listened to as an audio book.
Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like cute books that are akin to fairy tales in their rich, classical storytelling, then this is the book for you!
Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Despereaux was born to a French mouse whose favorite word was “disappointment.” Along with his family, he lives in the king’s castle in the land of Dor. Unfortunately, he is quite the disappointment both to his mother and the rest of his family. He is extraordinarily, peculiarly small but his ears are extremely large in proportion. On the first day of his life, his family was also shocked by how curious he was; they say he was born with his eyes open. This was just the start of his bizarre behavior–at least in the opinion of the other mice.
Despereaux also lacks the instinctual fear other mice believe is integral to the very essence of being a mouse. He doesn’t scurry, much to their dismay, and doesn’t realize the importance of scavenging for crumbs. Not only that, he does not eat books; he actually reads them. So Despereaux overall is a very big disappointment to his mother, father, and the general mouse community in the castle. They still love him, but they are simultaneously in a state of shock. They are even more shocked when they see him interacting with a human. Specifically, Princess Pea who is the only daughter of the king.
Drawn to her first by music, Despereaux eventually falls in love with the princess (which is definitely a little unusual given their vastly differing sizes). However, his love is true. The rest of the mice community doesn’t appreciate her understanding nature and believe human-mice interactions are a threat to all. They banish Despereaux to the dungeons which are infested with rats. Rats, unlike their more timid mouse counterparts, are violent and dangerous. Suffice it to say, Despereaux finds himself in some hot water.
At the same time, a rat named Roscuro is plotting revenge on Princess Pea. He convinces one of the castle maids–an abused young girl named Miggery Sow or “Mig”–to help him kidnap Princess Pea and promises her Pea’s crown. With Princess Pea in danger, Despereaux takes up the mantle of those he read about in fairy tales and becomes her knight in shining armor. He might be a mouse but his lionhearted fearlessness and unwavering love make him an unstoppable force!
Marshmallow’s Review: The Tale of Despereaux is a beautiful, adorable book! I love reading DiCamillo’s writing. It is unbelievably comforting and descriptive. Her books, particularly this one, feel like a rich, home-cooked meal. They remind you of the fairy tales we’ve all grown up with but an even more heartwarming version.
I love how adventurous and suspenseful this book is while it maintains its child-friendly style. DiCamillo is a master of prose that balances action with heart and character building. The plot is nicely, neatly wrapped up.
As a whole, The Tale of Despereaux is a very entertaining and moving book that is excellent in a touching yet understated way. I would highly recommend reading it to everyone! The message of strength, love, understanding, forgiveness, and openmindedness is something everyone can appreciate and learn from, regardless of age!
Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.
BookBunnies 