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

1. 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

1. 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
2. Predict what Despereaux could hear? Listen to your child’s answer p.18

Chapter 3

1. What happened to Despereaux in this chapter? He learned to read p.22
2. What did the author warn us about? Despereaux will run into rats and need to be brave p.25

Chapter 4

1. What did Despereaux hear and understand? Music p.26
2. Why is it dangerous for a mouse to reveal itself to humans? Humans don’t like mice p.27

Chapter 5

1. Predict what will happen to Despereaux. Listen to your child’s answer p.32

Chapter 6

1. 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

1. What does the phrase, “I honor you” mean? To act in a deliberate and respectable manner p.40
2. Who is Despereaux in love with? Princess Pea p.41

Chapter 8

1. Define perfidy. an act or an instance of disloyalty p.45

Chapter 9

1. Predict Despereaux’s fate. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 10

1. 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

1. 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

1. Why did Despereaux leave to the dungeon hopeless? No one helped him p.65

Chapter 13

1. 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

1. Who do you think the loud voice belonged to? Listen to your child’s answer p.75

Chapter 15

1. How does the rope save the jailer’s life? To guide him through the dungeon mazes p.78
2. 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

1. 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
2. What do “real rats” do? Torture prisoners emotionally and physically p.90
3. How is Roscuro not act like a rat? He loved the light 

Chapter 17

1. 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

1. 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

1. Who was born when Roscuro went upstairs in the castle? Despereaux p.103

Chapter 20

1. 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

1. How did the Queen die? Roscuro fell in her soup and the shock killed her p.112
2. How did Roscuro’s heart break? He saw Pea’s disgust and anger towards him p.113

Chapter 22

1. Was it appropriate for Roscuro to seek revenge? Why, or why not? No; listen to your child’s answer p.116

 Chapter 23

1. Define the word consequence. A result or effect of an action or condition p.117
2. Why did Roscuro want revenge? For the way Pea looked at him p.120

Book the Third

Chapter 24

1. 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

1. Why did Mig’s ears look like cauliflower? The man who purchased her, frequently hit her in the ears p.129
2. 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

1. What has been awakened in each of our main characters? Despereaux-love; Roscuro-light; Mig-hope p.134

Chapter 27

1. Why couldn’t Mig be a princess? She’s not born into royalty p.137

Chapter 28

1. 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

1. 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

1. 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

1. Why isn’t Mig afraid of being in the dark dungeon? She can’t hear anything p.160

Chapter 32

1. Predict how Roscuro will get revenge? How will Mig help him? Listen to your child’s answers p.165

Chapter 33

1. How did Roscuro know Mig’s name? She yelled it out when hollering for the jailer to come get his lunch p.169
2. What’s in the napkin Gregory put on the tray? Despereaux p.171

Book the Fourth

Chapter 34

1. What did Despereaux lose in this chapter? His tail p.179

Chapter 35

1. Why did Despereaux weep in this chapter? He was sad about his tail, happy he was freed, happy he can save Pea p.180
2. Predict who the knight is in Despereaux’s dream. Listen to your child’s answer p.182

Chapter 36

1. 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
2. Do you think the plan will work? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 37

1. 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

1. How is Pea empathetic? She was thinking about Mig while she held a knife in her back p.198
2. Has there been a time you’ve been empathetic? Listen to your child’s answer
3. 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

1. Why did Despereaux need to find the king? To tell him what happened to the princess p.203

Chapter 40

1. 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

1. Why didn’t the king listen to Despereaux? He thought all rodents are liars p.214
2. Were you correct in your prediction? Who is the knight in Despereaux’s dream? He is p.215

Chapter 42

1. How did Hovis help Despereaux in this chapter? Gave him the spool of red thread and a needle p.221

Chapter 43

1. What word would describe Despereaux in this chapter? Courageous; determined; strong; hopeful, brave p.223

Chapter 44

1. Why did Cook’s laughter hurt Despereaux? He felt like she was making fun of him p.230

Chapter 45

1. 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

1. Summarize this chapter. Despereaux’s pushing the thread down the stairs and it rolls too far, down to a rat p.238

Chapter 47

1. Why did Despereaux trust the rat? He didn’t have another choice p.244

Chapter 48

1. Describe the dungeon now that Despereaux could see it? There were human and mice bones, thread, tufts of fur; rats p.247

Chapter 49

1. How did Pea get through to Mig? Her compassion; asking what she wanted p.254

Chapter 50

1. What do you think Mig cut? Listen to your child’s answer p.259

Chapter 51

1. What word describes Pea in this chapter? Forgiving; compassionate; gentle; understanding p.263

Chapter 52

1. 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