The+Tale+of+Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread  Biographical Data: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread Interest Level: Grades 3-5 or ages 7-10 years Genre: Fairytale, Fantasy T hemes: Courage, Bravery, Heroism, Honesty, Honor, Pride, and Self-Esteem Author: Kate DiCamillo Illustrator: Timothy Basil Ering Publisher: Candlewick ISBN: 978-0763625290 Paperback Cost: $7.19 Original Language: English Accolades: Newbery Medal Winner in 2004

Summary: The Tale of Despereaux is a 2004 Newbery Medal winner written by Kate DiCamillo. The book is divided into four chapters and a coda. Each chapter tells the story from the perspective of a different character. In the first chapter the reader is introduced to Despereaux, the main character of the story. In the second chapter, the reader meets Chiaroscuro, a rat who lives in the bleak darkness of the dungeon. Chiaroscuro escapes from the dungeon and finds himself in the dining room, where Princess Pea sees him dangling from the chandelier. Frightened, Chiaroscuro falls from his hiding spot and into the queen’s soup, causing her to die of fright. Out of grief, the king orders soup to be outlawed, everything related to soup to be collected and all rats in the kingdom to be killed. Chapter three introduces yet another character, Miggey “Mig” Sow. Mig witnesses the death of her mother and afterwards she is sold by her father to a man Mig calls “Uncle.” After seeing the princess pass by on a hose, Mig decides she wants to be a princess. Mig is sent to work in the castle where her job is to deliver Gregory the jailer his meals. In the dungeon, Mig meets Chiaroscuro who tells her that if she helps him kidnap Princess Pea, he will make Mig the princess. In the final chapter, Despereaux escapes from the dungeon. Despereaux meets cook on his escape, who hates mice and orders Mig to kill him. Mig misses but chops off part of Despereaux’s tail with a knife. While Despereaux is sleeping, Chiaroscuro leads Mig to Princess Pea’s room to kidnap and lead her to the dungeon. The following morning, everyone in the castle is in panic because Princess Pea is missing. Despereaux attempts to tell the kind that he knows the princess is in the dungeon but he refuses to believe him because Despereaux is a relative of rats. Despereaux goes to see his friend Hovis who gives him a spool of red threat and sewing needle for his venture into the dungeon. When finally into the dungeon, Despereaux meets Botticelli, who tells Despereaux that he will lead him to the princess but Despereaux finds out that this is only a trap. Mig learns that Chiaroscuro has tricked her into kidnapping Pea and that she will never become a princess. Despereaux arrives in the dungeon to save Princess Pea. Mig chops off Chiaroscuro’s tail with a knife when he refused to show them the way out of the dungeon. Princess Pea offers soup to Chiaroscuro in exchange for letting her and her friends go free. At the end of the tale, Mig and her father are reunited and Chiaroscuro, Mig, the princess, Despereaux, and the king all have soup together.

<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Review: <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The Tale of Despereaux is an enchanting children’s tale filled with adventure and novelty. DiCamillo’s tale is one of a kind. It is the voices of the narrator’s in each different chapter that draws the reader’s attention. Even though the book has been written for children, it is an easy and exciting read even for adults. The themes are complex and enticing, always leaving the reader wanting to read “just until the end of the chapter” but always continuing on farther. The way DiCamillo has written the stories for each of her characters makes them relatable and interesting. The tale pulls on the heart strings of young readers and drives their need for excitement and adventure, making it the perfect read for students struggling with finding a book to interest them. This book has a little something for everyone whether it is the romantic love story between Princess Pea and Despereaux or the need for adventure. Needless to say I loved this book when I read it in fifth grade and I have read it many times since. It will always serve a place on my shelf. Four and a half out of five stars!

<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Analysis of Literary Elements: <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Character Development: Chiaroscuro <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Chiaroscuro’s names means “use of strong contrasts between light and dark.” He is nicknamed Roscuro. Chiaroscuro begins the story unlike the other rats he lives with in the dungeon. Rather than fear the light, he becomes consumed and fascinated by its beauty. While Chiaroscuro seems innocent next to the rats that he lives with, it is his obsession with the light that corrupts his innocence. Roscuro accidentally kills the queen and he is banished back into the dungeon, without any light. He begins to plot his revenge on the humans who live in the castle by kidnapping Princess Pea. By tricking Mig, Chiaroscuro is able to kidnap the princess and bring her down into the dungeon. However, after all of his misdeeds and deception, it is thank to Despereaux and the princess that Roscuro finds self-redemption.

<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Author Biography: <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Kate DiCamillo was born March 25, 1964 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her first novel, //Because of Winn-Dixie// was published in 2000. She published her second novel, //Tiger Rising//, in 2001. //The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread// (2003), won the 2004 Newbury Medal. In addition to her novels, she published chapter books beginning in 2005. <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">DiCamillo was a very sickly kid, and suffered from chronic pneumonia, which caused her to move to the warm southern climate when she was five years old. She earned her college degree in English at the University of Florida in 1987 and worked in Florida after graduation. Kate DiCamillo didn’t start writing until she was 29 when she moved to Minneapolis and began working in a book warehouse. DiCamillo was assigned to the third floor where all the children’s books were and it wasn’t long before she fell in love with them. <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">That job inspired her to write for children and allowed her to meet a sales representative for Candlewick Press, resulting in submission of a draft that would become Because of Winn-Dixie. DiCamillo believes that the most rewarding part of being a writer is when people tell her that her stories have meant something to them. <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">“I am short. And loud. I hate to cook and love to eat. I am single and childless, but I have lots of friends and I am an aunt to three lovely children (Luke, Roxanne, and Max) and one not so lovely dog (Henry).” – Kate DiCamillo <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Her 2003 novel The Tale of Despereaux was inspired by a friend's son, Luke Bailey, who asked her to write about an unlikely hero with “exceptionally large ears.”

<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Related Links: <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">[] <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Information on buying the book. <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">[] <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Kate DiCamillo starts on page 15. <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">[] <span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">The Tale of Despereaux was turned into a move in December of 2008.