06625cam a2200433 4500 286634728 TxAuBib 20170303120000.0 ||||||s2003||||||||||||||||||||||||und|u 9780739359914 0739359916 8b714ced-f5c0-4e36-ab85-82f8463bcbff OverDrive (Reserve ID) 126326 OverDrive (Product ID) 126326 OverDrive (Product ID) TxAuBib Dicamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux [Libby] : Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, 2003. Format: OverDrive OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, Filesize: 97MB. Format: OverDrive OverDrive Listen, Filesize: 97MB. Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. Despereaux is a mouse who reads stories about knights, loves music, falls in love with a princess, and is sentenced to death for communicating with humans. Graeme Malcolm gives a formal, unembellished reading of the text. In some ways, this fits a story that feels like a fairy tale, and, in other ways, it does little to enliven a story that is somewhat slow paced. Malcolm's voices for the scheming rat Roscuro and the bumbling Miggery Sow are inventive, but his narration doesn't pull any suspense or tension out of the lengthy exposition and flashbacks. There are also many instances of deliberate authorial intrusion that don't work as well in audio as they do on the page. An uneven production. A.F. Winner of the 2004 Newbery Medal; 2004 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine. AudioFile Magazine. HTML:Starred review from June 16, 2003 The author of Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tiger Rising here shifts gears, demonstrating her versatility while once again proving her genius for mining the universal themes of childhood. Her third novel calls to mind Henry Fielding's Tom Jones; DiCamillo's omniscient narrator assumes a similarly irreverent yet compassionate tone and also addresses readers directly.Despereaux, the diminutive mouse hero ("The last mouse born to his parents and the only one of his litter to be born alive"), cares not a whit for such mundane matters as scurrying or nibbling, and disappoints his family at every turn. When his sister tries to teach him to devour a book, for example ("This glue, here, is tasty, and the paper edges are crunchy and yummy, like so"), Despereaux discovers instead "a delicious and wonderful phrase: Once upon a time"—a discovery that will change his life.The author introduces all of the elements of the subtitle, masterfully linking them without overlap. A key factor unmentioned in the subtitle is a villainous rat, Chiaroscuro (dwelling in the darkness of the Princess's dungeon, but drawn to the light). Ering (The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone) brings an understated drama to the black-and-white illustrations that punctuate each chapter. His artwork conveys a respect for the characters even as they emit the wry humor of the narrator's voice.The teller of the tale roots for the hero and thus aligns himself with the audience: "Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform." In addition to these life lessons, the narrator also savors a pointer or two about language (after the use of the word "perfidy," the narrator asks, "Reader, do you know what 'perfidy' means? I have a feeling you do, based on the little scene that has just unfolded here. But you should look up the word in your dictionary, just to be sure"). Reader, I will let you imagine, for now, how these witticisms of our omniscient narrator come into play; but I must tell you, you are in for a treat. Ages 7-12.. Publisher's Weekly. HTML:Starred review from November 10, 2003 The rich timbre of Malcolm's voice proves an appealing invitation for listeners to follow along with this romantic and funny tale of an unlikely hero. Despereaux Tilling, a tiny mouse with very large ears, has always been a misfit among mice. But it is his quirks—which include the ability to read books and tell stories, as well as his undying love for a human princess—that lead Despereaux on a quest that culminates in a most fitting "happily ever after" ending. Malcolm's humorous interpretation of Antoinette Tilling's (Despereaux's French mother) histrionics is fine entertainment. And his Roscuro the rat character delivers slick lines with a Latin flair. With asides directed at listeners and elements of royal intrigue, innocent romance and revenge, this listening experience sometimes recalls the film The Princess Bride . But movie fans or no, listeners will find lots to enjoy here. Ages 7-12.. Publisher's Weekly. HTML:This is the story of Desperaux Tilling, a mouse in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl with a simple, impossible wish. These 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? Listeners, it is your destiny to find out. Media Type: Audiobook. Newbery Medal. Listen Up Award. Audie Award Nominee. Importer Version: 2014-01-08.01 Import Date: 2017-03-02 23:00:02. 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