The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread (a Middle-Grade Classic about Courage, Friendship, an - Paperback

A #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery Medal winner—the enchanting tale of a brave mouse, a covetous rat, a serving girl who wishes to be a princess, and a story of courage, forgiveness, and the redemptive power of love.

Despereaux Tilling is no ordinary mouse. Born with oversized ears and undersized stature, he commits the ultimate mouse sin: he falls in love with music, stories, and a beautiful human princess named Pea. When he is banished to the dark dungeon for his transgressions, his path crosses with Roscuro, a rat who craves light and goodness, and Miggery Sow, a serving girl who dreams of becoming royalty. Their intertwined destinies lead to a journey through darkness and into light—a quest that will require the deepest courage.

What you'll discover:

• A brave mouse who proves that even the smallest can be the most valiant
• Kate DiCamillo's luminous storytelling and profound emotional depth
• Themes of courage, forgiveness, light overcoming darkness, and redemptive love
• Unforgettable characters: Despereaux, Princess Pea, Roscuro, and Miggery Sow
• A fairy tale structure with timeless wisdom about good and evil
• Timothy Basil Ering's evocative black-and-white illustrations
• A story about the power of stories themselves to transform and heal

Kate DiCamillo weaves a tale that is both a classic fairy tale and a meditation on the nature of courage, the necessity of forgiveness, and the transformative power of love. Through Despereaux's journey from the glittering castle to the terrifying dungeon and back again, readers discover that true bravery means loving even when it seems impossible.

About the author: Kate DiCamillo is a beloved two-time Newbery Medal winner and former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Her books, including Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tiger Rising, and Flora & Ulysses, have touched millions of readers with their emotional honesty and luminous prose.

Perfect for: Read-aloud with children ages 8-12, homeschool literature studies, middle-grade readers, family libraries, anyone who loves fairy tales with depth and heart, readers seeking stories about courage and redemption, and those who believe in the transformative power of love and forgiveness.

This paperback edition includes 272 pages with black-and-white illustrations—a modern classic that belongs on every family's bookshelf.