Pelajaran yang bisa diambil dari buku ini:- Jangan mengatakan pada anak bahwa dia mengecewakan, hanya karena dia berbeda dari anak lainnya, seperti yang terjadi pada Despereaux.- Jangan melakukan atau mengatakan hal2 yang menyakitkan hati orang lain, karena kita tidak tau dengan cara apa hatinya akan menyembuhkan diri, seperti yang terjadi pada Roscuro.- Dengarkan dan pedulikan apa keinginan anak, jika tidak ingin anak kita tumbuh seperti Miggery.- Bahwa kehilangan seseorang yang dicintai bisa membuat seseorang melakukan sesuatu yang tidak masuk akal spt sang Raja. Tapi rasa duka itu nantinya juga akan berakhir.- Bahwa cinta itu indah, kadang juga konyol, seperti cinta Despereaux pada Putri Pea. Tapi kekuatan cinta sungguh menakjubkan.Ini kisah tentang tikus kastil bernama Despereaux. Yang berbeda dari saudara2nya dan tikus kastil lainnya. Yang badannya terlalu kecil dan telinganya terlalu besar. Yang tidak suka mencari remah2, tidak suka menggerogoti kertas dan tidak mau belajar seni lari terbirit2. Yang anehnya suka pada musik dan suka membaca tulisan di atas kertas. Yang dengan beraninya duduk di kaki Raja dan mau disentuh oleh Putri Pea. Yang dengan konyolnya merasa jatuh cinta pada Putri Pea. Yang akhirnya harus menjalani hukuman di ruang bawah tanah. Karena Despereaux berbeda.Ini kisah tentang tikus got bernama Roscuro. Yang hidup bersama komunitasnya di kegelapan ruang tahanan bawah tanah. Yang terobsesi pada cahaya, tidak seperti tikus got lainnya. Yang dengan nekatnya muncul di kastil yang tengah berpesta dan bergelantungan di lampu istana. Yang karena terkejut jatuh ke dalam mangkuk sup Ratu. Yang kemudian diteriaki dan dipandang penuh jijik oleh Putri Pea karena ia seekor tikus got. Hati Roscuro terluka. Hati yang hancur itu menemukan caranya sendiri untuk sembuh. Membalas dendam pada Putri Pea. Karena hati Roscuro terluka.Ini kisah tentang Miggery. Yang ibunya telah meninggal dunia. Yang dijual oleh ayahnya demi sebungkus rokok, selembar taplak merah dan seekor ayam. Yang setiap hari dijewer oleh ayah angkatnya. Yang bercita-cita ingin menjadi putri di istana. Yang akhirnya menjadi pelayan Putri Pea, namun msh menyimpan harapan untuk menjadi seorang putri. Tapi siapa yang peduli? Karena seumur hidupnya, tidak pernah ada yang peduli pada keinginan Miggery.Ini juga kisah tentang semangkuk sup. Yang merupakan masakan favorit Ratu. Yang menyebabkan Ratu meninggal karena dari dalamnya muncul seekor tikus got bernama Roscuro. Yang akhirnya menjadi masakan terlarang di seluruh negeri, atas titah sang Raja yang berduka. Karena Raja sangat kehilangan orang yang dicintainya.Ini juga kisah tentang segulung benang merah. Yang digantungkan di leher setiap tikus tahanan, termasuk Despereaux. Yang pada akhirnya membantu Despereaux untuk menjalankan misi ksatrianya. Karena cinta Despereaux pada Putri Pea.Kisah sederhana khas cerita anak2. Jelas antara hitam dan putih. Nyata bahwa pada akhirnya kebaikan akan mengalahkan keburukan. Penuh dengan pesan moral. I love it !
This book left me with the feeling that this story may not appeal to all readers. There were several important themes addressed in the story, yet little emotional attachment to the characters. The only character that many might relate to is Despereaux himself. He is ‘different’ both physically and emotionally from his peers which at first mostly works against him, though ultimately these unique qualities eventually save the day.I did really appreciate the way this author drew in the reader in a direct manner, literally addressing the reader in the story as if the author and reader are in this together. The author almost forces the reader to actively acknowledge the examples of forgiveness, the pain of being different, grief, prejudice, cruelty not only between natural enemies but also cruelty in those primary relationships with those who are supposed to love us, i.e., parents. There are also examples of compassion as shown by the princess, the cook, and a mouse.One important concept was present throughout the story. Light is good and darkness is evil. Striving for light (and music) represents hope and all that is worth striving for. Even the evil rat wants this light in the form of possessing the princess. The dungeon, or darkness, is scary, dirty, confusing, and cruel. Death resides in the darkness. The message is clear, i.e., keep heading for the light.I am glad the author did not end the story with a flip ‘happily ever after’ tone. Instead she showed how someone may not achieve exactly what they’d wished for, yet can still create a satisfactory life.Perhaps cutting off a mouse tail, hitting a girl until she is deaf, abandoning a child to a male predator, and images of being murdered by a disgusting rat left me feeling a tad raw. I certainly do realize there are children who are treated terribly in our real world, but I struggle to believe that any child would particular want to read about it.
Do You like book The Tale Of Despereaux (2008)?
Confession: I finished this book in one day. Why could I read so quickly? Definitely not because of my speed-reading capabilities! It’s because, despite being nearly 300 pages, it is short. :-)I wouldn’t say it’s a truly compelling read (though it did win the Newbery Award), but it held my attention even if it truly was a book written for children. I read a lot of children’s and young adult books, but plenty of them are meaty enough that I don’t feel sheepish saying I've read them. This one … well. It’s got that Lemony Snicketness about it, where the author is talking to you and addressing you as “Reader” and encouraging you to look up words (I did look up “perfidy” and learned the meaning of it), and consequently I fly through the fourteen-point font and double-spaced, illustrated pages and then chalk it up to another book read.Hey, at least I’ve stopped reading Baby-Sitters Club. (Also: Ann M. Martin stopped writing them. Ha!)If you’re looking for a light way to pass the afternoon or bored in the library, this book is worth looking at, if only for the interesting storytelling technique and the imaginative plot.
—Beth
A cute, charming, and heartwarming tale:)I really enjoyed this little mouse with a big heart, had a smile on my face the whole time. You root for him the whole time, and even his rat 'nemesis' Roscuro.Nothing is simplified in the story really, everyone has layers and you can understand where their coming from, even the rats.The writing style is very engaging, Miss DiCamillo does a wonderful job of drawing you into the story. .. at times ot seems she and the characters are popping up out of the page and speaking directly to you.Highly recommended for young and older readers alike:)
—TL
My sixth graders came to me raving about this book and insisted I read it, too. I just don't get it. I thought it was tremendously boring. I'm all for taking the tradition of fairy tales and changing them around, but this didn't work for me.First of all, it was very dark (sometimes literally, as a theme of darkness versus light pervaded the text). There were villains at every turn, and rather scary ones at that. The book suggests that most people are evil--very, very evil--especially to their own children. One example of this is when Despereaux's father sends him to his death; another is when Miggery's father trades her for a tablecloth. Both fathers eventually feel bad for what they did, but it makes for a frightening and disturbing story.I started to care about Despereaux and his quest, but then he left the narrative for most of the middle and it was about Miggery, who was unpleasant and not sympathetic. I don't like the way DiCamillo wrote Miggery at all. She was abused, which started to get my sympathy, but then she had no redeeming qualities. She wanted to be a princess, but it seemed like that was more for comedy than anything. It seems like DiCamillo went out of her way to make Miggery as stereotypically UN-princesslike as possible: fat, ugly, stupid, mean. I also felt like DiCamillo made fun of her hearing trouble, which I didn't like at all.I'm not exactly sure how this was award-winning, or what made it worthy of its awards. I also don't really know who the intended audience is, because the fairy tale around a mouse part seems very juvenile, but the themes are older, and there's some tough vocabulary, too. If I were a 6th grader, I would be embarrassed to be seen reading a fairy tale book like this, but I guess my kids don't mind.If you're a sixth grader reading this review and you liked The Tale of Despereaux, defend it to me! Make me change my mind!
—Mrs. Reed
