This is a really beautiful little book. It is lovingly designed, with an old fashioned spine, pretty illustrations and parchment like paper with torn (or mouse eaten) edges. It was so interesting to look at that I had to take it home.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is the story of a Mouse who is a Knight, a Princess called Pea, a Rat with a broken heart and a poor little peasant girl who want’s nothing more than to be a Princess. It is labelled as a children’s book, but I think would be equally interesting to any one who enjoys a good story with a sweet, heartfelt meaning behind it. It is especially dear to me as I have a fondness for mice, I used to have a pet mouse named Teasle. She was black with a little white star on her nose.

Despereaux is a mouse made a little bit different, he sees beauty in everything, is inspired by the romance of courtly love and is so innocent you can’t help but love him. Roscuro is a Rat born in a world of darkness, who wants nothing more than a bit of light but in seeking it causes a great tragedy which leaves his heart twisted and torn. Princess Pea is clever and kind natured, capable of both empathy and forgiveness, understanding even those who wrong her. Miggery Sow is a little girl who has never had much choice in life, noone seems to care what she wants, especially when she decides she wants to be a Princess.

It’s a quirky little story with a lot of soup and adorable illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering. I heartily reccomend it.