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anna_hepworth 's review for:
The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
While this is a lovely little quest story at the superficial level, there are too many nasties hiding in the depths to really recommend this as a childrens book (unless you are thinking of traditional nasty fairy tales as children's reading, in which case it is fine). Rather, I think that it is an adult book for those who like reading children's stories. I found the constant put downs of an entire species (which I read as an ethinic grouping rather than anything else) very very grating. I also didn't like the overt negativity to those who are different. And I got the feeling that the author has never actually met a rat (or a snake for that matter), because of the perpetuation of incorrect stereotropes.
All of this saddened me, because I wanted to come out of it uplifted - it is after all, the story of overcoming your limitations in the pursuit of the safety of your loved ones - but it just left me uncomfortable.
Quotes to illustrate:
"Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform".
"Reader, in the spirit of honesty, I must utter a difficult and unsavoury truth: Rats are not beautiful creatures. They are not even cute. The are, really, rather nasty beasts, particularly if one appears in your bowl of soup...."
"Have you ever had hold of the tail of a rat? At best, it is an unpleasant sensation, scaly and cold, similar to holding on to a small, narrow snake."
All of this saddened me, because I wanted to come out of it uplifted - it is after all, the story of overcoming your limitations in the pursuit of the safety of your loved ones - but it just left me uncomfortable.
Quotes to illustrate:
"Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform".
"Reader, in the spirit of honesty, I must utter a difficult and unsavoury truth: Rats are not beautiful creatures. They are not even cute. The are, really, rather nasty beasts, particularly if one appears in your bowl of soup...."
"Have you ever had hold of the tail of a rat? At best, it is an unpleasant sensation, scaly and cold, similar to holding on to a small, narrow snake."