Kate DiCamillo’s middle grade fantasy novel The Tale of Despereaux (2003) chronicles the adventures of Despereaux, an exceptionally tiny mouse who becomes the biggest of heroes in the fictional Kingdom of Dor. The novel won the Newbery Medal in 2004 and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2008.

Other works by this author include The Beatryce Prophecy, Beverly, Right Here, and Raymie Nightingale.

Plot Summary

Even though most mice are born blind, Despereaux is born with his eyes open, focused on the light shining through the castle windows. He avoids other mouse activities, preferring to read fairy tales and sit by the foot of the castle’s Princess Pea. Despereaux’s family eventually hears of his infractions and puts him before the Mouse Council, who sentences him to death by rat-infested dungeon.

The narrative shifts backward in time a few years to introduce Roscuro, a rat who exemplifies a less bloodthirsty spirit than the others, and who is also obsessed with bright light despite being condemned to lurk the dungeon. He holds resentment for Pea because he startled Queen Rosemary and caused her death during a banquet. In retaliation, King Phillip outlawed rats (and soup) throughout the kingdom, forcing Roscuro deeper into the darkness.

The narrative shifts further back to introduce Miggery Sow, born to a poor family (her mother dies young). Mig is sold into slavery and constantly beaten around the ears, resulting in her poor hearing. She wishes to be a princess as beautiful as Princess Pea. Upon becoming a paid servant at the castle, Mig is convinced by Roscuro to partake in a revenge plot to kidnap the princess.

Despereaux escapes the dungeon with a kind jailer’s help and overhears Roscuro’s plan. He is intercepted by Cook, who orders Mig to cut off the mouse’s tail.

In the middle of the night, Roscuro leads Mig—armed with a kitchen knife—to Pea’s room—as he plans to imprison her in the dungeon forever. Roscuro believes this will soothe his broken heart by means of revenge.

Despereaux attempts to alert the king of danger, but the latter refuses to listen to a mouse due to mice’s association with rats.

Realizing that no one can save the princess but him, Despereaux arms himself with a spool of red thread to mark his path in the dungeon and a needle to defend against the rats.

On the way to the dungeon, Despereaux comes across the Mouse Council. The Council is unrepentant, but Despereaux’s father begs for his forgiveness. Despereaux grants it and concludes that he does not care what others think as long as he does the impossible, important, and full of light.

Despereaux encounters Cook making illegal soup; he gives the mouse a spoonful. This raises Despereaux’s courage, and he marches into the dungeon and meets the mean-spirited Botticelli. The rat plays mind games with the mouse, taunting him with friendship before leading him through piles of mouse bones and drooling rats.

Despereaux arrives to see Pea, Mig, and Roscuro in a power struggle. Pea expresses sympathy for Mig, and the two girls cry over their lost mothers while Roscuro grows angry at his loss of control over the situation. Despereaux takes advantage of the moment and places the tip of his sword on Roscuro’s heart, but Pea pleads with him to show mercy. She promises Roscuro that if he leads them out of the dungeon, she will reward him with soup—an act of love and comfort. The rat breaks down and agrees. The other rats retreat to the darkness, disgusted.

Afterward, Despereaux and Pea remain friends, Roscuro is granted access to the lit areas of the castle, and Mig is reunited with her father—who promises to cherish her as he would a princess.

The story ends with a realistic version of “happily ever after.”