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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This book was slightly on the scary side for my 6 & 4 year olds. We went through it slowly, reading a chapter a night, and sometimes I had to look ahead to tell my kids it would all be okay. The story overall was interesting, but I wish there had been more soup and less “dear reader, do you know...?”
Before Reading:
I borrowed this from a friend, and she said it was really good. Plus, it looks really cute and I love Kate DiCamillo :) Excited to start it!
Mid-Reading:
I'm about halfway through it, finished the first two "books", or parts that it's split into. It's a very easy read, and it goes quickly. I really like it, it's pretty adorable, and now I really want to see the movie!
After Reading:
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. SO MUCH!!!!! Seriously might be my favorite book..... ever.... It's so whimsical and witty, while at the same time teaching thought-provoking lessons. Very sweet and endearing, I love Despereaux's spirit, and his courage. I love the fact that it's a children's book, while still teaching deep life lessons, like forgivness, bravery, love, courage, and a bad person turning good. SO amazing!!! I read it in three hours yesterday, and then I read it again this morning, and again when I got home, although I more skimmed it the last time, reading my favorite parts :) Definitely recommend it to everyone and anyone!!! If you still feel like a child like me, read this book. If you know children, read this book. If you have ever
been a child, READ THIS BOOK!!!!
On a side note, this is a really good book to read aloud, and I had the idea that whenever you're reading it to somebody, especially if it's a child, to put their name in whenever the author addresses the "reader",(which happens a lot. I think it adds a lot to the story, though :) Definitely on my list of books to read to my kids one day!!!!
So, there you have it. I am now totally, completely, and utterly in love with this book and everything about it.
I borrowed this from a friend, and she said it was really good. Plus, it looks really cute and I love Kate DiCamillo :) Excited to start it!
Mid-Reading:
I'm about halfway through it, finished the first two "books", or parts that it's split into. It's a very easy read, and it goes quickly. I really like it, it's pretty adorable, and now I really want to see the movie!
After Reading:
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. SO MUCH!!!!! Seriously might be my favorite book..... ever.... It's so whimsical and witty, while at the same time teaching thought-provoking lessons. Very sweet and endearing, I love Despereaux's spirit, and his courage. I love the fact that it's a children's book, while still teaching deep life lessons, like forgivness, bravery, love, courage, and a bad person turning good. SO amazing!!! I read it in three hours yesterday, and then I read it again this morning, and again when I got home, although I more skimmed it the last time, reading my favorite parts :) Definitely recommend it to everyone and anyone!!! If you still feel like a child like me, read this book. If you know children, read this book. If you have ever
been a child, READ THIS BOOK!!!!
On a side note, this is a really good book to read aloud, and I had the idea that whenever you're reading it to somebody, especially if it's a child, to put their name in whenever the author addresses the "reader",(which happens a lot. I think it adds a lot to the story, though :) Definitely on my list of books to read to my kids one day!!!!
So, there you have it. I am now totally, completely, and utterly in love with this book and everything about it.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A very good children's book, I could tell I would have enjoyed this book very much as a tween. But I was expecting more of the movie.
I listened to the audiobook for this and I'm going to have to read it. It was a lot more complex and thought provoking than I thought. I saw the movie and I don't remember it being this gripping. The way the author wrote this book is really good and flowed so well.
Every year for my little brother’s and my birthdays, instead of getting toys, or birthday money, or something large and highly unnecessary, we get books. (Now, before you think that it’s sad or unfortunate, let me tell you that I love books. This is seriously my favorite part of my birthday.) Each of my siblings, my mom and dad, and my grandparents all buy birthday books for us (one from each of our close relatives). This year on May 24th, the day before my birthday, we all gathered around the dining room table to give me my books in a sort of ceremony. First we just sat there and talked, and then I got to choose the first person to receive my birthday book from. This time I chose my nine-year-old brother, and he gave me this book, The Tale of Despereaux. At first when he gave it to me, it looked like a little children’s book that I might be able to read in an hour. The words were about 14 point font, and the line spacing was maybe 2.5 or 3.0, so every page took me about thirty seconds to finish. But when I was about halfway through, I realized that this book was more elaborate and detailed than I originally thought.
In The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, you can pull dozens of life lessons from it, such as in darkness there is always light, and light cannot exist without a little darkness. It also has some strong morals of empathy, showing that no matter what, anybody can change if just one person cares. This book also shows how much apathy can have an effect on people, by crippling them and tearing them away from reality, eating them from the inside until it’s too late to bring them back. But sometimes it isn’t too late. Despereaux, the hero of the story, was born very small, even for a mouse, with ears too big for his head. All the other mice living in the castle would call him sickly and strange, and feel sorry for the fact that he could not carry out a lot of typical mouse customs, like scurrying and looking for food. In fact, one day while trying to be taught to eat books, he realizes that he can read. He gets caught up in the story of a brave knight and a princess who fall in love and live “happily ever after.” Not long after, Despereaux meets a princess named Pea, and falls in love with her. At this time, the princess picks up Despereaux and strokes his large velvety ears, and Desperaux is delighted to know that somebody actually likes his ears. But the mouse community is disgusted to find out that he was touched by a person. So Despereaux is banished to the dungeons with a red thread around his neck to signify that he is food for the rats now. Using his cleverness, however, he escapes, but must then go back into the dungeons later to save the princess from an even darker fate. Throughout his adventure, he meets many friends and enemies, and helps people see the light in darkness. However, the only way to truly understand the deep messages in Despereaux’s story is to read the book yourself.
To be honest, this is one of the saddest books I have ever read in my life. (Okay, it wasn’t that sad, but it deserves to be acknowledged for its sadness.) The writing itself was exceptional, too. I would recommend this book to basically anybody and everybody. You don’t have to love fantasy to read this. You don’t have to like mice to read this. Essentially any age group, people with any interest, and any gender will like this book. It’s a fast and easy read too, good for a vacation, plane ride, or road trip. I hope many people will read this and love it as much as I did.
In The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, you can pull dozens of life lessons from it, such as in darkness there is always light, and light cannot exist without a little darkness. It also has some strong morals of empathy, showing that no matter what, anybody can change if just one person cares. This book also shows how much apathy can have an effect on people, by crippling them and tearing them away from reality, eating them from the inside until it’s too late to bring them back. But sometimes it isn’t too late. Despereaux, the hero of the story, was born very small, even for a mouse, with ears too big for his head. All the other mice living in the castle would call him sickly and strange, and feel sorry for the fact that he could not carry out a lot of typical mouse customs, like scurrying and looking for food. In fact, one day while trying to be taught to eat books, he realizes that he can read. He gets caught up in the story of a brave knight and a princess who fall in love and live “happily ever after.” Not long after, Despereaux meets a princess named Pea, and falls in love with her. At this time, the princess picks up Despereaux and strokes his large velvety ears, and Desperaux is delighted to know that somebody actually likes his ears. But the mouse community is disgusted to find out that he was touched by a person. So Despereaux is banished to the dungeons with a red thread around his neck to signify that he is food for the rats now. Using his cleverness, however, he escapes, but must then go back into the dungeons later to save the princess from an even darker fate. Throughout his adventure, he meets many friends and enemies, and helps people see the light in darkness. However, the only way to truly understand the deep messages in Despereaux’s story is to read the book yourself.
To be honest, this is one of the saddest books I have ever read in my life. (Okay, it wasn’t that sad, but it deserves to be acknowledged for its sadness.) The writing itself was exceptional, too. I would recommend this book to basically anybody and everybody. You don’t have to love fantasy to read this. You don’t have to like mice to read this. Essentially any age group, people with any interest, and any gender will like this book. It’s a fast and easy read too, good for a vacation, plane ride, or road trip. I hope many people will read this and love it as much as I did.
I only made it through 45% of this book. I was reading it to my six-year-old before bed, but it was really not appropriate for that. I thought it was going to be a story about a mouse, and the first part was, and that was fine. But when the story moved on to Roscuro and Miggery Sow, it got very dark. I didn't enjoy reading my six-year-old daughter the part about the guy in the dungeon who sold his daughter and didn't even turn around and look at her as he left. That was a bit heavy for someone her age. Then when the story moved on to Miggery Sow, and it started telling how "Uncle" hit her, I decided that was it. It was too sad for a six-year-old. So we abandoned it.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes