The Tale of Despereaux
This is another Newbery winner that I listened to with my son on our road trip. We enjoyed this one even more than Bud, not Buddy.
Banished from his mouse community for fraternizing with humans (to borrow C.S. Lewis’s phrase), Despereaux is sent to the dungeon where it is assumed he will be eaten by the rats. Of course, he isn’t eaten by the rats, but while he’s in prison he learns of a rat’s plans to harm one of his beloved human friends, Princess Pea. His quest to save the Princess Pea forms the rest of the story, which I won’t spoil for you!
This is a very charming fantasy tale that kept us truly entertained on our trip. It might be a little scary for those under 8 or so, though. I also recommend DiCamillo’s The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, which I read and enjoyed earlier this year.
2003, 272 pp.
Newbery Award
Rating: 4.5














This is on my book awards reading list. I’m looking forward to it.
This is on my Newberry list as well. I went to get
it from the library last week, and ALL copies were
gone! I figured that meant it was probably
pretty good!
I just recently read this book and really liked it. I can’t wait to read it to my newborn grandsom.
I have such fond remembrance of reading this book and of that little Despereaux who was so brave.
my 11yo and i read this one for our mother-daughter book club a year or two ago. i absolutely loved it! we read Edward Tulane for the book club last year, and i loved it too!
I’m looking forward to this one! It sounds just adorable.
Hi all! This was such a cute story. My 12 year old son really enjoyed it as well!
I’ve got this sitting on my bedside table to read. I love
all her other books.
So envious of your L’engle finds. I’ve been looking for
them 2nd hand for years!
This sounds like a really fun story. I keep seeing this on peoples blogs lately and everyone seems to be enjoying it. I think I will add it to my list.
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