When Love Conquers Hate!
Title: The Take of Despereaux
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Timothy Basil Ering
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Guided Reading Level: O
Genre: Fairy Tale/Fantasy
This book has won:
The John Newbery Medal
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Timothy Basil Ering
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Guided Reading Level: O
Genre: Fairy Tale/Fantasy
This book has won:
The John Newbery Medal
Summary: This fantastically written fairy tale gives readers the chance to be truly wrapped up in a novel - where readers feel as if they are actually inside the story. Kids will absolutely love this triumphant and suspenseful novel! In DiCamillo's inspiring novel, there are four different characters shining through the pages.
DiCamillo first writes about Despereaux, the protagonist. Despereaux is a small mouse born with his eyes open - considerably rare for newborn mice - and the only survivor of his mother's babies. Despereaux grows up to be a considerably smart mouse, as he grows fond of reading and listening to music. One day Despereaux's curiousity for music ends up causing Desperaux to become mischievous, as he is not only seen by humans - but talks to them. Despereaux ends up falling in love with a princess (Princess Pea), and is sent to a dungeon because of the rules he has broken. However, Despereaux escapes from the cold and scary dungeon to go find the princess.
DiCamillo then writes about the antagonist, Chiaroscuro (otherwise known as Roscuro), in the second section. Roscuro is a rat who kills the Queen, by accident, and then plots to kill the princess becuase the unfortunate event of the Queen dying broke his heart. Roscuro ends up becoming a mean and nasty rat! Despereaux finds out about the evil plot, which motivated him even more to break out of the dungeon to save the princess.
After reading about the antagonist, we learn about Miggery Sow, a very warm, yet manipulated young girl in the third section. Mig has a really hard time hearing, and she is Roscuro's partner in crime - literally. Mig is being manipulated by Roscuro, and as readers, we feel sympathetic for Mig throughout the novel because of how unfortunate Mig's life is. We can empathize with Mig, which is a concept so important for young readers to understand.
In the final section, all characters come together and the ending of the novel becomes triumphant! Despereaux rescues the princess with Miggery, Despereaux is stopped from killing Roscuro, and Despereaux and Princess Pea end up becoming amazing friends. The novel ends in such a positive way, where readers will end up cheering one the final page is turned!
Suggested Delivery: Classroom Read Aloud
This novel would be perfect for an English Language Arts unit in the classroom. Various fun activities can be implemented to increase literacy comprehension, and students would absolutely love this novel. The novel is long, so the novel would likely have to be read both at home and in the classroom.
DiCamillo first writes about Despereaux, the protagonist. Despereaux is a small mouse born with his eyes open - considerably rare for newborn mice - and the only survivor of his mother's babies. Despereaux grows up to be a considerably smart mouse, as he grows fond of reading and listening to music. One day Despereaux's curiousity for music ends up causing Desperaux to become mischievous, as he is not only seen by humans - but talks to them. Despereaux ends up falling in love with a princess (Princess Pea), and is sent to a dungeon because of the rules he has broken. However, Despereaux escapes from the cold and scary dungeon to go find the princess.
DiCamillo then writes about the antagonist, Chiaroscuro (otherwise known as Roscuro), in the second section. Roscuro is a rat who kills the Queen, by accident, and then plots to kill the princess becuase the unfortunate event of the Queen dying broke his heart. Roscuro ends up becoming a mean and nasty rat! Despereaux finds out about the evil plot, which motivated him even more to break out of the dungeon to save the princess.
After reading about the antagonist, we learn about Miggery Sow, a very warm, yet manipulated young girl in the third section. Mig has a really hard time hearing, and she is Roscuro's partner in crime - literally. Mig is being manipulated by Roscuro, and as readers, we feel sympathetic for Mig throughout the novel because of how unfortunate Mig's life is. We can empathize with Mig, which is a concept so important for young readers to understand.
In the final section, all characters come together and the ending of the novel becomes triumphant! Despereaux rescues the princess with Miggery, Despereaux is stopped from killing Roscuro, and Despereaux and Princess Pea end up becoming amazing friends. The novel ends in such a positive way, where readers will end up cheering one the final page is turned!
Suggested Delivery: Classroom Read Aloud
This novel would be perfect for an English Language Arts unit in the classroom. Various fun activities can be implemented to increase literacy comprehension, and students would absolutely love this novel. The novel is long, so the novel would likely have to be read both at home and in the classroom.
Key Vocabulary:
Electronic Resources:
Show this book trailer before reading the novel:
Show this book trailer before reading the novel:
Increasing Comprehension Skills:
Before Classroom Read Aloud:
- Start a word wall! I have said in previous posts to use word walls, and I believe this would be incredibly beneficial in the classroom. Go over these key words before the class starts reading the novel - some of these I had to look up when reading! Incorporate words into the classroom also when speaking to the class outside of the lesson, such as something so simple like saying, "The sky looks ominous right now - there must be a storm coming!" Trust me, doing something so seemingly simple as this will help students understand these words immensely.
- Have students make inferences based on the cover of the novel. This should be a brief "carpet time" activity. Point out the Newbery medal on the cover. Teach students about the medal, and why the medal is awarded to various books. Students should be able to understand that the main character, aka the protagonist, is a mouse - solely because of the picture of the mouse. Ask students what they think the needle and the sting of the yarn represents. It should be interesting to hear their ideas!
During Classroom Read Aloud (home and school):
- Have students keep a vocabulary journal. I have said this again before also. However, students should have a specific journal just for vocabulary. All the books being read at home and in school should be included in this journal, with important vocabulary words, definitions, and activities per novel. The journal should be checked weekly to make sure students are using it effectively.
- Have students create Text to Text, Text to Self, and/or Text to World connections. Have them make a chart in their journals, or create a chart as a group. There are plenty of creative chart ideas out there for "carpet time" and here is website with some great ones:
After Book is Finished:
- Have students complete a fun and creative activity using these words! Students could write an essay using some of the words to demonstrate their understanding of the meanings using context, or students could also create a collage of these key terms with the definition and a picture to match the definition.
- Tell students they can create a voki for the purpose of summarizing the events their favorite character encounters. They will love this activity, becuase it uses technology and is also creative. Here is a sample voki I created of Despereaux!
The main theme of this novel is the theme of love conquering hate. It would be really interesting for students to make text-text, text-self, and text-world connections in a writing activity regarding this theme. I would have students write about how they can relate to this theme in a creative essay. A question for this creative essay would likely be:
"The main theme in this novel is the theme of love overpowering hate. By making connections, how does love conquer hate in your life? Be creative and try to relate your experiences to the novel! :)"
Tiffany Tidbit - I really enjoyed reading this novel! I actually have never read the novel, (or seen the movie before), until I read it this past week. It was incredible! I hope to watch the movie too sometime in the near future. I have been one to believe in watching movies after books are read, and enjoy compared the books to the movies. Few times have I enjoyed movies more than the books - although The Hunger Games trilogy is cutting it close for me. Incorporating this novel into the classroom would be an absolutely wonderful idea. I hope you enjoyed the ideas I included in this posting!
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