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Rating: 
Summary: The Tale of Despereaux
Review: When I read "The Tale of Despereaux" it reminded me of my favorite fairy tale "Cinderella." It has all the qualities of a classic fairy tale such as good versus evil, animal characters with human like traits , a moral lesson on love and forgiveness, life and death, and endearing characters. This fairy tale truly has a mythical quality about it!
The main character,Despereaux is a tiny mouse with large ears. He is an emberassment to his family because of his unmouse like behaviors. For example, he doesn't scurry, hears music other mice don't, and enjoys reading. His enjoyment of literature introduces him to the tale of a knight in shining armour and a princess. Then worst of all Despereaux (like his name) falls desperately in love with Princess Pea. He loves the light and music and soup of her very existence. When the Mouse Council find out about this they sentence him to a horible, dark dungeon full of rats.
As the story begins to unfold we are introduced to the other characters in the story. Roscuro is as horrid as all the other rats in the dungeon. The rats wait for mice and humans to be thrown to the basement and then pounce on them. Roscuro gets a glimpse of the world of light above the stairs and when he does like Despereaux, he is enchanted by the beauty of the candlelight, the music, the smell of the soup, and Princess Pea. Then the Princess and her royal parents see Roscuro and for the first time Roscuro realizes how despicable his existence is perceived when he is called "Rat" and when the queen faints and dies in her soup.
Furious Roscuro begins to plot out his revenge on the royal family and plans on using Miggery Sow to help. Miggery is a servant girl who's led a miserable life. Her father sold her to a man who beat her so badly she is now hard of hearing. She dreams of one day becomming a princess and since Princess Pea befriended Miggery she is easily led into a crime against the young princess.
Readers will find out how the good parts of various characters come together to turn the story around. If you like imagination and fantasy then this is the story for you. The pencil illustrations are beautifully drawn and help capture the magic of the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost perfect
Review: A very vey very good book.This book is so interesting.One of the reasons is the author talks to you while writing.The other
reason was it was very diffrent actually it was A really odd book but I liked it all the same.It makes A point that size
does not matter.I WOULD ALSO RECOMEND guardians of ga'hool
and w.i.t.c.h.
Rating:
Summary: Dear Reader, young and old!
Review: Dear Reader, The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread is a 2004 Newberry Medal Book winner and that was what caught my eye in choosing this book. It is fun and easy to read, and would be especially fun to read with a child 6-10 years old. Children love being read to and even if they are wonderful readers it is good to share a book by reading to them. Reader, there are some subjects that come up that may need explaining to a younger child, such as how the mother mouse could be so mean to abandon her deformed baby mouse. The father mouse sends the baby mouse off to the dungeon rather than being supportive of it. The young maid girl, Miggery Sow, is abandoned and clouted by her parents and uncle. Clouted, reader, means she was struck repeatedly in the ear area causing her to be deaf. It seemed a little much for young children to have to endure in the name of fun; I think reading should be fun to pleasant for all. So, dear reader, keep this in mind while reading this book and use it as a teachable moment to confirm your love and concern for you child. I liked the writer's dear reader narrative. As a new and
unusual word was introduced the author questioned the reader on it and then often would share the meaning. Such as saying, "Reader, you do not have to go to the dictionary; I will tell you the meaning of perfidy. It is the state of being disloyal." I enjoyed this personal aspect of the book. Reader, let's go back to the plot. The characters are outcasts that have dreams and goals just like everyone else. The book covers this in four books within a book. The last book brings it all together and everyone lives happily ever after. This does not mean marrying the princess, even in this strange world but reader; it means contentment, acceptance and forgiveness. Aren't these more important anyway dear readers?
Rating:
Summary: Soup makes everything wonderful
Review: Kate DiCamillo has written a charming book about Despereaux, a mouse that is a disappointment even to his mother. The story, comprised of four books, is about Despereaux and his un-mousely ways. He is small, has big ears, and loves a human Princess. Because of his odd ways, he is banned to the dungeon where the rats like to eat mice. Also in the book is Miggery Sow, a girl who is dim witted and has cauliflower ears. Miggery wants to be a princess....so badly in fact, that she plots against Princess Pea. In the end all works out and everyone lives happily ever after. If you're an adult then read this book. You'll want to find a child to read it to when you're finished.
Rating: 
Summary: awful, reader, just plain awful
Review: Please do not read this book, reader!!! Reader, I had just finished reading Because of Winn-Dixie, and I found it to be a wonderful book and story. But, reader, Tale of Despereaux did not come anywhere close to what I expected a good, or worthy of reading children's book, should be. I also, reader, feel that anyone who has to tell a child what is going on without letting them think for themselves or create their own meanings should not bebale to get their books published. I have always felt the point of getting children to read is to, get them to read! Then the stories and meanings can be discussed later. Children always bring something new the table, and this book ruins a childs creative and imaginative mind.
Rating:
Summary: One brave mouse
Review: Simple to read. Laced with humor, culture of childhood, and the magical elements and motifs of a fairy tale. Perfect for read aloud sessions and an excellent bedtime story. I recommend this book to all fairytale lovers. One of the best Newbery winner since 'The Giver' of Lois Lowry and 'House of the Scorpion' by Nancy Farmer. And the writing is pure enchantment itself. I consider this book a gem.
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