The Tale of Despereaux

“There ain't a body, be it mouse or man, that ain't made better by a little soup.” 

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo 

Published by Candlewick Press Copyright 2003   

Multiple lead characters, adventure, tale of an underdog, interactive text, anthropomorphic  

 Awards: 

• 2004 Newbery Medal Recipient  

 

Summary:  

Award winning novelist Kate DiCamillo inspires readers to be honest and honorable in her newest tale about a kingdom where soup is forbidden, and a mouse-in-shining-armor is destined to save the kingdom. Three separate stories of the mouse, a rat with a vengeance, and a girl who just wants weave together through turmoil and triumph leading to a coda that isn't a traditional happy ending, but happy nonetheless. This interactive text is perfect as a read aloud, with many moments in the text reserved for pause and reflection among students. 

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 670L, Grade 4.8, DRA 50

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud, whole class instruction

Description: Fantasy, Fairy tales   

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  diplomat (12), obscenely (17), indignant (24), conform (25), adhere (27), tribunal (35), perfidy (45), beleaguered (77), scrupulously (129), portentous (167), comeuppance (186), infringe (249)

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Have students comment on the interactive qualities of the text. How do students feel when the narrator talks directly to them?
2. Speaking of the moments when the narrator speaks directly to readers, there are plenty of moments when the narrator asks readers to reflect on what is happening with characters. For example the narrator says: "Can you imagine it? Can you imagine your father selling you for a tablecloth, a hen, and a handful of cigarettes? Close your eyes and consider it for just a moment... (pp. 127)." Use these moments as discussion points, or even as reading journal entries.
3. For an impromptu grammar lesson, talk with students about how Despereaux's mother talks! Is her speech grammatically correct?

Comprehension Strategies

Pre-Reading- Ask students what they think "conform" means. Once students figure out what it means, write a definition that students devise together on a poster that they can refer to as the story is read aloud. Ask students if they think conformity is a good quality to have. Let students debate the issue, and refer back to this debate at the end of the novel.

During Reading- A main point in the novel is that every action has a consequence. In Book 2, DiCamillo explains that every action that Chiaroscuro takes or is affected by has a consequence in his life that spirals him down into bitterness. After learning about the consequences leading up to Chiaroscuro's fate, have students refer back to Book 1, where Despereaux is taken to the dungeon. Can students outline what actions led up to his fate? After students create an outline, continue reading, as a review of Despereaux's consequences is on page 120.

Post-Reading- Talk with students about the phrase "happily ever after." Mig did not get to be a princess, and Despereaux did not end up with Pea, which would be typical happy endings, but both characters were still happy in the end. What does this mean about the phrase? Can "happily ever after" be found in more ways than one? What really made the characters happy in the end, was it their wildest dreams coming true, or just the idea of being forgiven enough?

Writing Activity: Have students write a newspaper article about an important event in the story. prompts could include:

• Despereaux's defiance of the Mouse Council
• Pea's disappearance
• The banning of soup in the kingdom
• Mig's reunion with her father

And many more!

Electronic Resources:

Watch the Movie

Matthew Broderick stars as Despereaux in this loosely adapted version of The Tale of Despereaux churned out by Universal Pictures in 2008. After completing the book, students can watch this movie and compare and contrast the tale, voting on which version students like the best and why.

Printing Press 

Students can make their newspaper articles look more authentic with this interactive newspaper "printing press" provided by readwritethink.org. This simple tool provides students with multiple layouts to make their article unique.

DiCamillo, K. (2003). The tale of Despereaux: being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.