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The Tale of Despereaux Literature Unit
This literature unit includes vocabulary words, definitions and activities, an anticipation guide, a literary element study, journal and discussion topics, a writing activity for each domain, comprehension activities, a research project, answer key, and MUCH MORE!
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The Tale of Despereaux Literature Unit
By Kate DiCamillo
The Tale of Despereaux is a fun, heartwarming story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread. The tale begins within the walls of a castle where Despereaux, the unlikely hero of the story, is born. Very small, with over-sized ears, and born with his eyes open, Despereaux is considered odd by his mouse peers. One day the sound of music leads him to the Princess Pea, with whom he falls deeply in love. When word gets out that Despereaux has broken the most important mouse rule—never reveal yourself to humans—he is banished to the dungeon by his own family to be tortured and killed by the rats! In another strand of this story, we meet Miggery Sow, a peasant girl who is sold into service by her own father. Mig’s desire to be a princess, a rat’s desire for revenge, and Despereaux’s quest to save the kidnapped Princess Pea bring an interesting cast of characters together in a delightful tale about light and dark. The author, Kate DiCamillo, has created some truly memorable characters in this witty, suspenseful narrative, in which she addresses the reader directly. Woven throughout the story is the power of love, hope, and forgiveness, leaving the reader to decide, “Is there such a thing as happily ever after?”
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