The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
Grades 4; Genre - Fables; GRL U; AR pts. 5.0
Welcome 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. And what happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
Book the First
- Describe the introduction to this story. In a castle in France; Despereaux was born and received his name from his mother for all the despairs of their lives; he’s the only mouse of the litter and the last mouse born to his mother; his mother’s favorite word is, disappointment; he opened his eyes and looked at the sun, which his family knew was strange p.11
Chapter 2
- Describe the main character. His name is Despereaux; he’s tiny, has large ears and was born with his eyes open; he’s sickly, faints at loud noises; shows no interest in mouse things; he notices things that other mice didn’t care for p.17
- Predict what Despereaux could hear? Listen to your child’s answer p.18
Chapter 3
- What happened to Despereaux in this chapter? He learned to read p.22
- What did the author warn us about? Despereaux will run into rats and need to be brave p.25
Chapter 4
- What did Despereaux hear and understand? Music p.26
- Why is it dangerous for a mouse to reveal itself to humans? Humans don’t like mice p.27
Chapter 5
- Predict what will happen to Despereaux. Listen to your child’s answer p.32
Chapter 6
- Why did Despereaux’s action of being revealed affect the entire mouse community in the castle? It showed the humans they were in the castle p.36
Chapter 7
- What does the phrase, “I honor you” mean? To act in a deliberate and respectable manner p.40
- Who is Despereaux in love with? Princess Pea p.41
Chapter 8
- Define perfidy. an act or an instance of disloyalty p.45
Chapter 9
- Predict Despereaux’s fate. Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 10
- Summarize the trial. Despereaux went before the Head Mouse; he admitted what he had done truthfully; he didn’t admit that he was wrong; he was going to be sent to the dungeon with the rats; he fainted p.54
Chapter 11
- Describe the interaction Despereaux had with the threadmaster. The threadmaster put the thread around Despereaux’s neck and told him to be brave for the princess p.61
Chapter 12
- Why did Despereaux leave to the dungeon hopeless? No one helped him p.65
Chapter 13
- Why did Despereaux think of the word “perfidy” as he tumbled into the dungeon? His brother, family and community weren’t trustworthy and cast him out p.71
Chapter 14
- Who do you think the loud voice belonged to? Listen to your child’s answer p.75
Chapter 15
- How does the rope save the jailer’s life? To guide him through the dungeon mazes p.78
- Why does Gregory want to be told stories? He feels like they’re light and he lives in darkness p.81
Book the Second
Chapter 16
- Describe Roscuro. A rat; Gregory caught him and showed him light so he now longs for it; thinks the meaning of life is light p.88
- What do “real rats” do? Torture prisoners emotionally and physically p.90
- How is Roscuro not act like a rat? He loved the light
Chapter 17
- Summarize this chapter. A prisoner was sent to the dungeon; Roscuro was assigned the new prisoner, but saw the light from the door opening and closing; his friend told him to focus on the blanket that was given to the prisoners not the light p.92
Chapter 18
- Why did Roscuro decide he needed to go upstairs? The blanket didn’t give him happiness; he knew he needed to go to the light p.102
Chapter 19
- Who was born when Roscuro went upstairs in the castle? Despereaux p.103
Chapter 20
- What made Roscura realize he didn’t want to be a rat? Princess Pea saying “rat” and everyone’s reaction to him p.109
Chapter 21
- How did the Queen die? Roscuro fell in her soup and the shock killed her p.112
- How did Roscuro’s heart break? He saw Pea’s disgust and anger towards him p.113
Chapter 22
- Was it appropriate for Roscuro to seek revenge? Why, or why not? No; listen to your child’s answer p.116
Chapter 23
- Define the word consequence. A result or effect of an action or condition p.117
- Why did Roscuro want revenge? For the way Pea looked at him p.120
Book the Third
Chapter 24
- Describe Miggory Sow. A girl who’s going to help Roscuro take revenge; a girl named for her father’s favorite prize-winning pig; born far away from the castle; her mother died when she was 6 years old; is the daughter of the prisoner Roscuro tortured and took the blanket from p.125
Chapter 25
- Why did Mig’s ears look like cauliflower? The man who purchased her, frequently hit her in the ears p.129
- Why is Mig’s life sad? She wasn’t able to hear anymore; she was never listened to; her owner hit her and didn’t love her p.129
Chapter 26
- What has been awakened in each of our main characters? Despereaux-love; Roscuro-light; Mig-hope p.134
Chapter 27
- Why couldn’t Mig be a princess? She’s not born into royalty p.137
Chapter 28
- Explain how Mig came to become a servant in the castle? The soldiers came to her hut to take away the soup supplies and Uncle and the soldiers took her with them since she was a slave p.141
Chapter 29
- Describe Princess Pea. Kind, happy, looks for the good in people and things; her mother died from Roscuro falling in her soup; patient p.147
Chapter 30
- What job did Cook give to Mig? Why, or why not? Take lunch to the jailer in the dungeon; she was lazy and not competent in the other tasks she was given p.154
Chapter 31
- Why isn’t Mig afraid of being in the dark dungeon? She can’t hear anything p.160
Chapter 32
- Predict how Roscuro will get revenge? How will Mig help him? Listen to your child’s answers p.165
Chapter 33
- How did Roscuro know Mig’s name? She yelled it out when hollering for the jailer to come get his lunch p.169
- What’s in the napkin Gregory put on the tray? Despereaux p.171
Book the Fourth
Chapter 34
- What did Despereaux lose in this chapter? His tail p.179
Chapter 35
- Why did Despereaux weep in this chapter? He was sad about his tail, happy he was freed, happy he can save Pea p.180
- Predict who the knight is in Despereaux’s dream. Listen to your child’s answer p.182
Chapter 36
- What’s Roscuro’s plan to get revenge on the princess? Mig will take her to the dungeon to be stuck there forever p.187
- Do you think the plan will work? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 37
- What phrases does the author use to show that Pea was not afraid on page 193. “She concentrated on containing the rage that was leaping up inside of her”; “…her eyes were defiant”; “She stared at the rat” p.193
Chapter 38
- How is Pea empathetic? She was thinking about Mig while she held a knife in her back p.198
- Has there been a time you’ve been empathetic? Listen to your child’s answer
- Why is empathy important? We’re more understanding and have compassion when we can think about other people and what they’ve been through
Chapter 39
- Why did Despereaux need to find the king? To tell him what happened to the princess p.203
Chapter 40
- Summarize this chapter. Despereaux was looking for the king and found the Mouse Council meeting; he went into them and they thought he was a ghost; his father asked for his forgiveness and Despereaux forgave him; he demanded the Mouse Council to repent, they didn’t p.204
Chapter 41
- Why didn’t the king listen to Despereaux? He thought all rodents are liars p.214
- Were you correct in your prediction? Who is the knight in Despereaux’s dream? He is p.215
Chapter 42
- How did Hovis help Despereaux in this chapter? Gave him the spool of red thread and a needle p.221
Chapter 43
- What word would describe Despereaux in this chapter? Courageous; determined; strong; hopeful, brave p.223
Chapter 44
- Why did Cook’s laughter hurt Despereaux? He felt like she was making fun of him p.230
Chapter 45
- How did Cook help Despereaux in this chapter? She didn’t kill him and instead gave him soup; she held the dungeon door open for him p.233
Chapter 46
- Summarize this chapter. Despereaux’s pushing the thread down the stairs and it rolls too far, down to a rat p.238
Chapter 47
- Why did Despereaux trust the rat? He didn’t have another choice p.244
Chapter 48
- Describe the dungeon now that Despereaux could see it? There were human and mice bones, thread, tufts of fur; rats p.247
Chapter 49
- How did Pea get through to Mig? Her compassion; asking what she wanted p.254
Chapter 50
- What do you think Mig cut? Listen to your child’s answer p.259
Chapter 51
- What word describes Pea in this chapter? Forgiving; compassionate; gentle; understanding p.263
Chapter 52
- Summarize the conclusion of this book. Despereaux and Pea are friends; Roscuro can go back and forth from upstairs to the dungeon; Roscuro told Pea about the prisoner with the table cloth and she had him released; the prisoner treated Mig as a princess the rest of his days; Mig, Roscuro, Pea, the king and Despereaux are eating soup at the table; Antoinette, Lester and the threadmaster are peeking out of the curtain watching p.266
