{"product_id":"the-tale-of-despereaux-isbn-9780763680893","title":"The Tale of Despereaux","description":"\u003cb\u003eA #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal–winning tale.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWelcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out. \u003cbr\u003eWith black-and-white illustrations and a refreshed cover by Timothy Basil Ering.The author of \u003ci\u003eBecause of Winn-Dixie\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Tiger Rising\u003c\/i\u003e here shifts gears, demonstrating her versatility while once again proving her genius for mining the \u003cb\u003euniversal themes\u003c\/b\u003e of childhood. . . . I must tell you, you are in for a treat.\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003cb\u003echarming \u003c\/b\u003estory of unlikely heroes . . . This expanded fairy tale is \u003cb\u003eentertaining\u003c\/b\u003e, heartening, and, above all, great fun.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eForgiveness, light, love, and soup. These essential ingredients combine into a tale that is as \u003cb\u003esoul stirring \u003c\/b\u003eas it is delicious.\u003cbr\u003e—Booklist (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe melodramatic voice of the narrator glides through DiCamillo's entirely pleasing tale . . . And so unwinds a tale with twists and turns, full of forbidden soup and ladles, rats lusting for mouse blood, a servant who wishes to be a princess, a knight in shining—or at least furry—armor, and all the ingredients of an old-fashioned drama.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiCamillo \"sets the stage for a battle between the forces of Darkness and Light in \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e, and the book is a \u003cb\u003eterrific\u003c\/b\u003e, bravura performance.\"\u003cbr\u003e—The New York Times Book Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere is a\u003cb\u003e classic charm\u003c\/b\u003e to this picaresque tale of an idealistic mouse suffering unrequited love for a princess; that and a pace that lends itself to reading aloud will make this novel a favorite among those ready for some gentle questing.\u003cbr\u003e—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiCamillo tells an \u003cb\u003eengaging \u003c\/b\u003etale . . . Many readers will be enchanted by this story of mice and princesses, brave deeds, hearts 'shaded with dark and dappled with light,' and forgiveness.\u003cbr\u003e—The Horn Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSoul stirring and charming.\u003cbr\u003e—Booklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNewbery-Honor winning DiCamillo creates the perfect read-aloud with \u003cb\u003edelightful, fanciful characters\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e—Child's Best of the Year\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis \u003cb\u003eold-fashioned tale\u003c\/b\u003e is overflowing with good and evil, light and dark, scary adventures, and a happy ending. Ideally read aloud.\u003cbr\u003e—Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Books of the Year\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChill winds call for hot cocoa and a good book. \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e serves up 52 chapters bursting with adventure.\u003cbr\u003e—Washington Parent\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI give this book the highest rating: five out of five stars.\u003cbr\u003e—Newsday\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnexpectedly complex in the relationships between its characters, DiCamillo's fable, \u003cb\u003eengagingly illustrated\u003c\/b\u003e by Timothy Basil Ering, delivers a carefully orchestrated, but not overstated, testament to the power of love and forgiveness.\u003cbr\u003e—San Francisco Chronicle\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Reader, it is his destiny — just as it is for \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e to become another \u003cb\u003etimeless classic \u003c\/b\u003ein the once-upon-a-time genre.\u003cbr\u003e—Orlando Sentinel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis \u003cb\u003echarming \u003c\/b\u003eadventure by the award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eBecause of Winn-Dixie\u003c\/i\u003e is a story of love, courage and following your heart.\u003cbr\u003e—Detroit Free Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRead the book aloud. Few recent texts have been designed for that, with multiple plots ticking on, divided into 52 small chapters. And don't forget the coda, a tiny but deft apologia of the imagination.\u003cbr\u003e—Chicago Tribune\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis charming fairy tale brims with \u003cb\u003edelightful characters\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e—Cleveland Plain Dealer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere once again, loss brings characters together, misfits find a place in the world, and darkness and light swirl together in a not easily divisible mix.\u003cbr\u003e—Star Tribune\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e \"has DiCamillo's modern sensibilities, her \u003cb\u003ewry humor\u003c\/b\u003e, and crystalline prose.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Miami Herald\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe story is just plain \u003cb\u003efun to read\u003c\/b\u003e, but it also explores deeper and darker aspects of parent-child relations, including betrayal, the need for forgiveness and the power of love.\u003cbr\u003e—Houston Chronicle\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSuper Summer Reads: \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e by Kate DiCamillo. A smaller-than-usual mouse falls in love with music, stories, and a Princess named Pea.\u003cbr\u003e—Woman's Day\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003cb\u003eheartwarming and rewarding\u003c\/b\u003e read, \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e cheers uniqueness, boos conformity, urges readers to overlook seeming differences, and inspires hope.\u003cbr\u003e—Teacher Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith its old-fashioned, fairy tale qualities and whimsical pencil drawings by Timothy Basil Ering, the book is definitely a departure for DiCamillo, but one \u003cb\u003ereaders are sure to love\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e—Book Page\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e. . . DiCamillo's new fantasy novel is \u003cb\u003echarming\u003c\/b\u003e, by turns sad, sweet, and mildly scary.\u003cbr\u003e—Voice of Youth Advocates\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSly style and \u003cb\u003ebrilliantly-crafted characters\u003c\/b\u003e will reward the reader . . .\u003cbr\u003e—The Five Owls\u003cb\u003eKate DiCamillo\u003c\/b\u003e is the beloved author of many books for young readers, including the Orris and Timble, Mercy Watson, and Tales from Mercy Watson’s Deckawoo Drive series. Her books \u003ci\u003eFlora \u0026amp; Ulysses\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e both received Newbery Medals. A former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, she lives in Minneapolis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTimothy Basil Ering\u003c\/b\u003e is the illustrator of the Newbery Medal winner \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Despereaux\u003c\/i\u003e by Kate DiCamillo as well as \u003ci\u003eWalrus Song\u003c\/i\u003e by Janet Lawler, \u003ci\u003eFinn Throws a Fit! \u003c\/i\u003eby David Elliott, and \u003ci\u003eSnook Alone\u003c\/i\u003e by Marilyn Nelson. He is also the author-illustrator of \u003ci\u003eThe Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNecks Out for Adventure!\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e The Almost Fearless Hamilton Squidlegger\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Unexpected Love Story of Alfred Fiddleduckling\u003c\/i\u003e. Timothy Basil Ering lives in Kingston, Massachusetts.\u003cb\u003eChapter One: The Last One\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eThis story begins within the walls of a castle, with the birth of a mouse. A small mouse. The last mouse born to his parents and the only one of his litter to be born alive.\u003cbr\u003e   “Where are my babies?” said the exhausted mother when the ordeal was through. “Show to me my babies.”\u003cbr\u003e   The father mouse held the one small mouse up high.\u003cbr\u003e   “There is only this one,” he said. “The others are dead.”\u003cbr\u003e   “\u003ci\u003eMon Dieu,\u003c\/i\u003e just the one mouse baby?”\u003cbr\u003e   “Just the one. Will you name him?”\u003cbr\u003e   “All of that work for nothing,” said the mother. She sighed. “It is so sad. It is such the disappointment.” \u003cbr\u003e   She was a French mouse who had arrived at the castle long ago in the luggage of a visiting French diplomat. “Disappointment” was one of her favorite words. She used it often.\u003cbr\u003e   “Will you name him?” repeated the father.\u003cbr\u003e   “Will I name him? Will I name him? Of course, I will name him, but he will only die like the others. Oh, so sad. Oh, such the tragedy.”\u003cbr\u003e   The mouse mother held a handkerchief to her nose and then waved it in front of her face. She sniffed. “I will name him. Yes. I will name this mouse Despereaux, for all the sadness, for the many despairs in this place. Now, where is my mirror?”\u003cbr\u003e   Her husband handed her a small shard of mirror. The mouse mother, whose name was Antoinette, looked at her reflection and gasped aloud. “Toulèse,” she said to one of her sons, “get for me my makeup bag. My eyes are a fright.”\u003cbr\u003e   While Antoinette touched up her eye makeup, the mouse father put Despereaux down on a bed made of blanket scraps. The April sun, weak but determined, shone through a castle window and from there squeezed itself through a small hole in the wall and placed one golden finger on the little mouse.\u003cbr\u003e   The other, older mice children gathered around to stare at Despereaux.\u003cbr\u003e   “His ears are too big,” said his sister Merlot. “Those are the biggest ears I’ve ever seen.”\u003cbr\u003e   “Look,” said a brother named Furlough, “his eyes are open. Pa, his eyes are open. They shouldn’t be open.”\u003cbr\u003e   It is true. Despereaux’s eyes should not have been open. But they were. He was staring at the sun reflecting off his mother’s mirror. The light was shining onto the ceiling in an oval of brilliance, and he was smiling up at the sight.\u003cbr\u003e   “There’s something wrong with him,” said the father. “Leave him alone.”\u003cbr\u003e   Despereaux’s brothers and sisters stepped back, away from the new mouse.\u003cbr\u003e   “This is the last,” proclaimed Antoinette from her bed. “I will have no more mice babies. They are such the disappointment. They are hard on my beauty. They ruin, for me, my looks. This is the last one. No more.”\u003cbr\u003e   “The last one,” said the father. “And he’ll be dead soon. He can’t live. Not with his eyes open like that.”\u003cbr\u003e   But, reader, he did live.\u003cbr\u003e   This is his story.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter Two: Such A Disappointment\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eDespereaux Tilling lived.\u003cbr\u003e   But his existence was cause for much speculation in the mouse community.\u003cbr\u003e   “He’s the smallest mouse I’ve ever seen,” said his aunt Florence. “It’s ridiculous. No mouse has ever, ever been this small. Not even a Tilling.” She looked at Despereaux through narrowed eyes as if she expected him to disappear entirely. “No mouse,” she said again. “Ever.”\u003cbr\u003e   Despereaux, his tail wrapped around his feet, stared back at her.\u003cbr\u003e   “Those are some big ears he’s got, too,” observed his uncle Alfred. “They look more like donkey ears, if you ask me.”\u003cbr\u003e   “They are obscenely large ears,” said Aunt Florence.\u003cbr\u003e   Despereaux wiggled his ears.\u003cbr\u003e   His aunt Florence gasped.\u003cbr\u003e   “They say he was born with his eyes open,” whispered Uncle Alfred.\u003cbr\u003e   Despereaux stared hard at his uncle.\u003cbr\u003e   “Impossible,” said Aunt Florence. “No mouse, no matter how small or obscenely large-eared, is ever born with his eyes open. It simply isn’t done.”\u003cbr\u003e   “His pa, Lester, says he’s not well,” said Uncle Alfred.\u003cbr\u003e   Despereaux sneezed.\u003cbr\u003e   He said nothing in defense of himself. How could he? Everything his aunt and uncle said was true. He \u003ci\u003ewas \u003c\/i\u003eridiculously small. His ears \u003ci\u003ewere \u003c\/i\u003eobscenely large. He \u003ci\u003ehad \u003c\/i\u003ebeen born with his eyes open. And he was sickly. He coughed and sneezed so often that he carried a handkerchief in one paw at all times. He ran temperatures. He fainted at loud noises. Most alarming of all, he showed no interest in the things a mouse should show interest in. \u003cbr\u003e   He did not think constantly of food. He was not intent on tracking down every crumb. While his larger, older siblings ate, Despereaux stood with his head cocked to one side, holding very still.\u003cbr\u003e   “Do you hear that sweet, sweet sound?” he said.\u003cbr\u003e   “I hear the sound of cake crumbs falling out of people’s mouths and hitting the floor,” said his brother Toulèse. “That’s what I hear.”\u003cbr\u003e   “No . . . ,” said Despereaux. “It’s something else. It sounds like . . . um . . . honey.”\u003cbr\u003e   “You might have big ears,” said Toulèse, “but they’re not attached right to your brain. You don’t \u003ci\u003ehear \u003c\/i\u003ehoney. You \u003ci\u003esmell \u003c\/i\u003ehoney. When there’s honey to smell. Which there isn’t.”\u003cbr\u003e   “Son!” barked Despereaux’s father. “Snap to it. Get your head out of the clouds and hunt for crumbs.”\u003cbr\u003e   “Please,” said his mother, “look for the crumbs. Eat them to make your mama happy. You are such the skinny mouse. You are a disappointment to your mama.”\u003cbr\u003e   “Sorry,” said Despereaux. He lowered his head and sniffed the castle floor.\u003cbr\u003e   But, reader, he was not smelling.\u003cbr\u003e   He was listening, with his big ears, to the sweet sound that no other mouse seemed to hear.","brand":"Candlewick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303767920869,"sku":"NP9780763680893","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780763680893.jpg?v=1767741769","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-tale-of-despereaux-isbn-9780763680893","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}