The Tale of Despereaux

It was never a question for me as to which book would be my first shared on Anovelanche! If ever you are buried in the frozen tundra, a few pages read of The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is enough to melt the polar icecaps! It is my favorite book of all time - one of those.."you had me at 'Hello'" books - except in this case I was hooked at the end of the first chapter when the Narrator addresses the Reader. It literally took my breath away.

The Tale of Despereaux...."..being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread." These words complete the title page of this enchanting story. It is the story of an unlikely hero, a tiny mouse with large ears, who is imprisoned for acting un-mousely and for falling in love with a princess. But he brings the light of a story to a jailer in the dark, and he discovers the plan of a vengeful rat and a dimwitted servant girl.

This tale is told in four sections: the story of Despereaux, the story of Roscuro the rat, the story of a girl named Miggery Sow, and finally how their lives intertwine and bring about the good of all. It is a story of love lost and love found, a story of good vs. evil, and a story of how truth and understanding bring light where darkness once was.

Whether you are looking for a hearty laugh, a good cry, a damsel to rescue, a hero to root for, or a villian to despise, this book is for you! All the chapters are brief, making it the perfect read-before-bed book. I can't wait until my boys are just a little bit older and I can share this book with them!

I'm sure many of you have read this book already and love it as I do. I can't imagine anyone NOT loving it! It was justly awarded the 2004 Newbery Medal - I knew it would as soon as I read it. Now that the book has been released as a movie, I am torn.

Are you like me? When I read the book first, I usually end up being frustrated with the movie, and if I see the movie first, then the book seems wrong. When I read, I create my own sort of movie - what I often refer to simply as "the movie in my mind." Usually, my movie is much better than what I see in the theater. And so, I have not seen the movie of The Tale of Despereaux. I guess I have too much respect for the book.