The Tale of Despereaux

I was curious to read this book because it is being made into a major motion picture (coming out in theaters this month). The idea behind the story sounded cute– an unlikely hero in a big-eared and tiny-bodied mouse. The story did not disappoint from the creativity standpoint. I was highly entertained.

This book would make a fun read-aloud for a family and/or a quick read for an adult. The chapters in this book are 2-3 pages long which makes it good for ages 8 and up, I would say. Published by Candlewick Press, The Tale of Despereaux is the story of a tiny mouse who was born in a castle with his eyes open, the only surviving mouse in his litter. His parents weren’t sure whether he was destined for greatness or if he was just an oddity. In his world, mice are not to talk to humans, let alone be touched by them. Despereuax not only breaks this rule but dismisses it with gusto when he befriends the Princess Pea herself. For his crime in interacting with this member of the royal family, he it sent to the dungeon. But, as DiCmillo explains in the story, every action has a reaction and a consequence and in this case it was a good thing that Despereaux was sent to the dungeon for it was there that he learned about a plot to kidnap Princess Pea.

This book was imaginative and fun. It is compelling and I can see how it would easily draw a young reader in and keep them heartily entertained. As an adult reader this made for a fun quick read, but it is clearly meant to appeal to a younger audience.

I am curious to see the movie now that I’ve read the book. I’m glad that I read the book first though. To find out more information about the movie, you can check out the official movie website.

In order to encourage you to read the book as well as (or before) seeing the movie, Candlewick Press has graciously offered to give away a hardback copy of this book to one of our readers. If you would like to win a copy of this book, leave a comment here. This contest is open to U.S. residents only. We’ll leave it open for two weeks and announce the winner on Wednesday December 31.

Here are the winners of last week’s giveaways:

Diabetes and Heart-Healthy Meals for Two goes to #104 Marcy Strahan.

The winners of Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas are

#67 Kayla Pease
#14 Jayme
#9 Deidre

If you didn’t receive an email from us, please send us your shipping info via our contact form.

Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.