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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This book is just amazing. I re-read via audiobook, and it is absolutely mind-boggling to me what Kate DiCamillo was able to achieve. I absolutely love the way she writes to children, with such respect, using language and concepts they can understand, but never being condescending. And the themes are so deep. I really still believe that this is a book everyone should read. It is incredibly sad (much more so than I remembered), but the author shines hope--the light, reader, the light!--throughout. And don't we all need a little light?
This was my favorite book in elementary school and I was feeling nostalgic and wanting to relive this story. It is such a marvelous little tale. I cannot wait to experience this with my children one day.
**Reread with my kiddos in September 2017. They give it 28 stars!**
I love every book by Kate DiCamillo, and this one is no different. What a sweet story! I laughed out loud at times, and I look forward to reading this to my own children very soon.
I love every book by Kate DiCamillo, and this one is no different. What a sweet story! I laughed out loud at times, and I look forward to reading this to my own children very soon.
In principle, I liked that Kate DiCamillo talked to us reader however in the beginning I found that she did it too often (felt a little bit disruptive for the story). But in general the book is a sweet short tale about a little mouse.. and a rat.. and a poor girl.. (so why is this called Tale of Despereaux?:D) finding their destinies.
I read this with my ESL Beginning class. They enjoyed the story a lot but the length and vocabulary was troublesome.
Two stars because the character of Despereaux is sweet.
This book is mostly horrible. The rats are horrible - I've had pet rats, they're amazing, also the tail is silky. Don't compare the tail wrongly to a snake that is supposedly horrible to touch. Snakes are soft, too.
The character of Mig is repeatedly abused as a running gag. Child abuse makes me very uncomfortable.
Despereaux's mother is for some reason French and speaks English in a stereotypical French way that serves zero purpose. I was on the verge of being offended as a French person. Plus she wears makeup?!
The ending is extremely anticlimactic.
Just no.
This book is mostly horrible. The rats are horrible - I've had pet rats, they're amazing, also the tail is silky. Don't compare the tail wrongly to a snake that is supposedly horrible to touch. Snakes are soft, too.
The character of Mig is repeatedly abused as a running gag. Child abuse makes me very uncomfortable.
Despereaux's mother is for some reason French and speaks English in a stereotypical French way that serves zero purpose. I was on the verge of being offended as a French person. Plus she wears makeup?!
The ending is extremely anticlimactic.
Just no.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
read this as a kid. wanted to read again because i remember being irrationally obsessed w the princess as a baby lesbian. rats ARE adorable not ugly and also this is sort of a bummer. if im reading middle grade or children's lit it's as a pick me up. not to feel bad for a rat who is apparently ugly
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse