Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: This book reminded me a lot of the Lemony Snicket, Series of Unfortunate events, in the way that the author several times directs the conversation to the reader.I loved the writing, I think Kate is more or less a great author (if you ignore The Tiger Rising), although I don't believe it's anywhere near as good as Because of Winn-Dixie. The one problem that I had with it is the way the author portrayed Miggery Sow, the girl who desperately wants to be a princess. She continuously regards her as "dim-witted" and "slow", which I feel is a bit too harsh for a children's book, mainly because of the labels. I think children who are constantly teased because of something, will not find this book uplifting, as Miggery never really emerges from her bad situation.
Rating:
Summary: The Tale of Despereaux
Review: This was a great and enchanting book, and i loved every bit of it. It made me sad though, because it didnt have the happy ending that i expected. I think that this approach was brilliant on the authours behalf, and i think that everyone should read this book because it has character and depth.
Rating:
Summary: 4 [1/2] Stars!
Review: Although I am only barely half way done with Desperaux, I am already clutching my gut in laughter each time I hear the name. Desperaux is an akward, quick-witted mouse thrown into the dungeon... and, well, that's all I've got. But, anyway, Kate Dicamillo captures the true humanity that animal stories should be written in.
The one flaw: Hillarity ensuses. Do not be surprised if insanity follows.
Rating:
Summary: Qool!!!!!!!
Review: Wow;This was an amazing reed!!Kool is what my friends said. I loved the sk8brd feelin'
Rating: 
Summary: a terribly funny future classic
Review: I've read Kate DiCamillo's 'Because of Winn-Dixie' and was happily, pleasantly surprised by how different 'Devereaux' was from her first book. This book is written in a manner that is easy enough for kids to read by themselves, but witty and darkly humorous enough for adults to enjoy. DiCamillo does in this book what Edward Gorey does in his drawings, she makes events that would normally be tragic so funny that while you are somewhat horrified, you are stiffling your laughter, such as when a certain character looses their tail. The illustrations are equally humorous and memorable.
Rating: 
Summary: Tale of Despereaux
Review: Tale of Despereaux The Tale of Despereaux is a story of a strange mouse, a beautiful princess, a light loving rat, and a fat almost deaf servant girl. It begins when Despereaux is born. He is born small and sickly and his family fears he will die. His mother names him Despereaux because of her sadness. Desereaux finds princess Pea and immediately falls in love. His family sees him talking to her, which is against mouse rule, so they sentence him to the dungeon, where the rats live, doomed to die. There lives Roscuro, who is a rat. When the door was opened, he saw the light, and promised himself that one day he would live up there. His hopes are dashed when he is upstairs, hanging on a chandelier. Princess Pea sees him and yells, "Look a Rat!" Roscuro had never heard such an ugly, disgusting word, and falls down into the queen's soup. The queen is startled, and dies. Roscuro is furious with what the princess called him, and he seeks to get revenge. The king bans rats and soup. Meanwhile, an obeice servant girl is dreaming of a good life. Miggery Sow was only about 5-7 when her father sold her illegally after her mother died. Soon after, she saw the princess. She dreamed of the life of that girl, instead of her world, which was, 'get hit in the ear till' you can't hear.' A servant of the king finds her and takes her to help the cook in the king's castle. She does not fit in well, until she meets Roscuro. They seek to kill the princess, (Miggery Sow does not know of Roscuro's plan.) They set out on an adventure, not knowing the are being followed by a certain mouse! Read it to find out the end!
I would give Tale of Despereaux 31/2 out of 5 stars. I gave it the 31/2 because there is never a dull part, the plot is exciting, and Despereaux is such a cool character you can't stop reading. I took off 11/2 stars because the book seemed to be meant for younger audiences, and adults, and the author, Kate DiCamillo, always refers to the reader, which is you, and asks questions about the book. Otherwise, it was a great book.
The protagonist of the story is Despereaux, who is a small abnormal mouse. He was born small and sickly with huge ears, and his parents thought him a goner. He is considered different, and strange. His behavior gets him into trouble a lot. He is an adventurous, brave, smart, and energetic mouse. He has a very quiet personality, except when he is mad. Despereaux loves to read, and listen to music. In fact, he is more human that mouse. He can have temper tantrums, and he also can be a sad, wide-eyed mouse. What makes Despereaux unique is that he can read, he loves to have adventures, and he loves to talk to humans, which is against mouse law. In other words, he loves to take risks. What makes me like Despereaux is he does anything to help his friends.
One place in the book that makes or breaks the story is when Roscuro is hanging from the chandelier. This is important because if he hadn't fallen into the soup, the queen wouldn't have died, so then the king would not have outlawed rats, which would mean Roscuro would never have met Miggery, which would mean they never would have gone on their 'quest.' Another part is where Depereaux meets Princess Pea. This is important because if Despereaux never met the Pea, and sent to the dungeon, Roscuro would have never seen the light, and he would have never dared to climb upstairs and hang on a chandelier, which sets up the story. Both these scenes were make or break points in the book.
In conclusion, I liked Tale of Despereaux and gave it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed it, and it was a good quick read. The author is outstanding and also wrote Because of Winn Dixie. All readers would enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Read Together Book
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: The best book ever!
Review: This book has one of the most unlikely heroes: a mouse. This mouse is named Despereaux. His name means disappointment in French. He was born really, really small with his eyes open and with really big ears. Despereaux breaks three of the most important laws in the mouse community: never talk to a human, never let a human touch you, and never reveal yourself to a human. Since he breaks those rules he is sent to the dark and bad-smelling dungeon. Despereaux hears of a plan and tries to save the princess with only a spool of thread and a needle. Will he make it? Read the book to find out.
The book is full of adventure. It also has a bit of romance mixed into it. After I started reading it, I didn't want to put the book down. This is one of those fairy tales you'll never forget after reading it.
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: You'll love this book!!!!!!
Review: This is a really great book! I just got it today and I already finished it! It is about a mouse who falls in love with a princess and all the other mice get mad because he talked to a human. It is one of the best books I have ever read! I think anyone who reads it will really like it! :)
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