BookBrowse Reviews The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, Timothy Ering

Kate DiCamillo introduces a hero for all time!

From the book jacket: Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other’s lives. And what happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.

From the master storyteller who brought us Because of Winn-Dixie comes another classic, a fairy tale full of quirky, unforgettable characters, featuring twenty-four stunning black-and-white illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering, in an elegant design that pays tribute to the best in classic children’s books and bookmaking traditions.

Comment: There are an awful lot of children's books out there about mice including such classics as Stuart Little and the Redwall series.  In fact, one could be led to believe that the children's book market was saturated when it comes to stories about rodents - but think again!  The Tale of Despereaux is a very charming story about a very charming mouse with lots of twists and turns and old-fashioned chivalry, perfect for 7-12 year olds, and great to read aloud.

This review first ran in the April 20, 2006 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.