Book Review: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that by directly addressing the reader,
the author introduces many concepts to think and talk about.
This book is an excellent read-aloud or discussion group book.
It could be read to kids as young as 6 as long as they're OK
with a little violence and scariness: Despereaux's tail is cut
off with a kitchen knife, a girl's ears are boxed, and there's
a rat-and-skeleton infested dungeon.
Families can talk about outsiders. Why are underdog tales so appealing? What makes you root for this little mouse and his friends? What other stories of brave and noble misfits can you think of? Are they all "happily ever after"?
Common Sense Media Review
Kate DiCamillo can do charming. Her debut novel,
Because of Winn-Dixie, was simple and enchanting.
Despereaux's tale is more complex and stylized: the author
directly addresses the reader throughout, and the hero
disappears from the story for nearly a hundred pages. But charm
it has in buckets, perfectly matched by Ering's delightfully
weird illustrations.
It also hits the trifecta for a children's book: it makes a great read-alone, read-aloud, or reading group book. It's easy to read, despite its length and sometimes advanced vocabulary, and perfectly paced and plotted to hold a middle-grade reader's interest. The direct address, reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's style, though considerably lighter in tone, makes it perfect for reading aloud and involving listeners in the reading. And that same way of talking to the reader allows the author to raise questions that would make for interesting literature group discussions.
So, reader, open the nicely rough-cut pages of this delightful little volume, and surrender to DiCamillo's time-tested, but somehow always fresh, tale of a runty outsider who proves, once again, that a large heart conquers all.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
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