The Tale of Despereaux : : Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread

Locations
Call Number: Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate, R Newbery Medal 2004
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 07-26-2025
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 08-08-2025
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 06-11-2025
Downtown Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 08-08-2025
Downtown Kids Reference 0-week checkout	R Newbery Medal 2004	0-week checkout	Library Use Only
Malletts Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 08-03-2025
Malletts Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 06-13-2025
Malletts Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 08-06-2025
Traverwood Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 07-21-2025
Traverwood Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 07-11-2025
Westgate Kids Books 4-week checkout	Kids Book / Fiction / Action & Adventure / DiCamillo, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 08-08-2025

The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

School Library Journal Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Fiction Profile
Excerpt
Author Notes
Booklist Review

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

All it took was one little mouse submitted by Caroline Ham on June 22, 2011, 8:23am This is a wonderful story about a little mouse (Despereax), who was a disappointment to his family, who went down into the dark castle dungeon to save a princess, a mischevious rat (Roscuro) who plans to make everyones life misrable, and a little girl (Miggery Sow)who would do anything to become a princess. Can Despereax save the princess and stop Roscuro in time?

Lovely submitted by marisal on June 29, 2011, 3:53pm This is a great story and I recomend it to all.

Great submitted by derin on July 19, 2011, 6:43pm I've read this a million times and I still can't put it down! I think it's even better than the movie!

Great! submitted by ljq on July 26, 2011, 5:50pm I remember this book and it's a fantastic tale of a little mouse. :)

Favorites submitted by kathyxsun on July 23, 2012, 3:58pm One of my favorite books!

Good submitted by Motomori on July 21, 2013, 11:43am Good book! It's a real page turner!

amazing submitted by Lizzy on August 9, 2013, 9:27am This book is a funny, entertaining book about a brave little mouse. the movie is terrible, so don't judge the book by the movie.

Unlikely hero submitted by kathscot on August 10, 2014, 11:09am Despereax is small, sickly and unloved. How can he possibly be a hero? A great story!

Wonderful submitted by rose.lorenz on August 18, 2014, 9:46pm Beautiful story, very well told. The elements of darkness in life are approached in a hopeful way. In his pursuit of light and beauty (unusual for a mouse!) Despereaux wills himself to face significant hardships and complete a task that seems impossible. DiCamillo uses beautiful language and helps young readers develop strategies for understanding the vocabulary that might be new.

Wonderful submitted by peterflorence on August 28, 2014, 9:02am This book is about a mouse who is sent to the dungeons to die.

good book submitted by ooseung on August 8, 2015, 4:15pm The Tale of Desperaux is an exciting book that starts out with a mouse named Desperaux. This is one of my favorite books but the movie is terrible.

Determined Mouse submitted by glenna on August 11, 2015, 10:05pm This mouse exhibits the finest human characteristics - compassion, determination, love and forgiveness.

Adorable submitted by rainbownacho on July 8, 2016, 6:27pm A cute story about an outcast that rises his way to the top.

Red thread submitted by Alex Hannah on July 26, 2016, 6:08am I enjoyed this book.Because it is a sad but fun book.

very interesting submitted by mahmoud123 on June 16, 2017, 11:26am very nice story loved it

My childhood submitted by gracie1999 on June 25, 2018, 11:10pm This is a book that will always give me that warm, fuzzy feeling. Reminds me of my childhood and barefoot summers in the yard. 10/10 would recommend.

Banished! submitted by thesrays on July 24, 2018, 1:43pm There once was a mouse who was a disappointment to his family. He was banished to the king's dungeon, where there were mouse-eating rats. How will he survive? Read it and find out!

Great submitted by sydcha on August 4, 2019, 1:33pm Totally deserving of all the awards it’s one, this book is sad while also being hopeful. I really loved reading it and hope everyone else does too.

Great submitted by pepemama on August 14, 2019, 2:29pm Very good book, won lots of awards and I can’t put it down

Fun, creative fairy tale submitted by 21621031390949 on June 14, 2022, 5:55pm Fun creative children's chapter book that is nicely written. I (an adult) read it on the recommendation of Ann Patchett and it was a fun breath of fresh air for a summer afternoon!

Stands the Test of Time — A Beloved Tale Revisited submitted by sarai koster-mockeridge on June 13, 2025, 11:44am The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread was one of my favorite books as a child, and I was delighted to revisit it now by reading it aloud to my 9-year-old — who absolutely loved it too. The story is still just as magical, moving, and full of heart as I remember.

Kate DiCamillo’s writing is rich and lyrical, and the book’s narrator draws the reader in with a unique voice that feels both personal and timeless. Despereaux’s bravery, the dark and light woven through each character’s journey, and the themes of hope, love, and forgiveness are all beautifully told and deeply resonant.

Reading it as an adult, I appreciated the emotional depth and the way the story gently explores big feelings like disappointment, loneliness, and courage. My child was totally engaged from beginning to end — curious, empathetic, and eager to know what would happen next.

This book truly stands the test of time. It’s an enchanting and layered tale that’s perfect for shared reading, full of moments that spark imagination and meaningful conversations. A classic that holds up beautifully across generations.

Good submitted by fochlee on June 24, 2025, 1:19pm This book is pretty good overall, but I thought it was even better.