The Tales of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
Chapters 1-6
Ch.1
1. Why did the mouse mother name her baby Despereaux?
Ch. 2
2. Why was Despereaux such a disappointment to his family?
Ch. 3
3. What are the ways of being a mouse?
Ch. 4
4. How did Despereaux spend his days now that he was free?
5. What was the source of the honey sweet sound he heard?
6. What was the most basic and important rule mice followed?
Ch. 5
7. How was love described in chapter 5?
Ch. 6
8. How did Lester Tilling react to the news delivered by Furlough?
Review
9. What was unique about Despereaux?
10. How did the Princess and the King react to Despereaux?
Chapters 7-12
Ch. 7
1. What did Furlough not see after he ran off?
2. What did Pea decide to do with Despereaux, and how did the king react
to seeing him up close?
3. What happened when Pea started to cry?
Ch. 8
4. Who made up the Mouse Council?
5. What do you think about Lester and his tears after the decision?
Ch. 9
6. Why is Furlough content with turning in his brother?
Ch. 10
7. Why did Despereaux break the rules and why won’t he renounce his
actions?
Ch. 11
8. What are your thoughts of the threadmaster?
Ch. 12
9. What fate awaits Despereaux in the dungeon?
Review
11. What did Despereaux mean when he said, “I honor you,” to Princess Pea?
12. What are the reasons why Despereaux was being sent to the dungeon?
Chapters 13-17
Ch. 13
1. What hurt Despereaux even more than not saying goodbye to the
Princess?
Ch. 14
2. What did Despereaux think about to get him through the tough times in
the darkness?
Ch. 15
3. Who is Gregory? What is similar but different about them?
4. Why would Gregory say he would save Despereaux when he has never
saved any other mice?
Ch. 16
5. What does Chiaroscuro mean and how was he similar to Despereaux?
Ch. 17
6. What is the difference between darkness and the light according to the
mice and rats?
Chapters 18-23
Ch. 18
1. Why was the red cloth so precious to the prisoner?
Ch. 19
2. Describe what Roscuro saw when he came into the light of the castle.
Ch. 20
3. How did Roscuro feel when he was called a Rat?
Ch. 21
4. Describe the most important thing to the Queen, besides her family.
5. What happened when Roscuro looked back at the Princess?
Ch. 22
6. What did Roscuro promise as he departed the hall?
Ch. 23
7. What orders were send out in the kingdom of Dor after the death of the
Queen?
Chapter 24- 28
Ch. 24
1. How did Miggery Sow get her name?
2. What two tragedies did Miggery experience in her young life?
Ch. 25
3.What rules did Miggery have to follow in her new life?
4. How did Miggery lose her hearing?
Ch. 26
5. What happened on Mig’s 7th birthday?
Ch. 27
6. What was Mig’s wish?
Ch. 28
7. What wish came true for Miggery?
8. What did the soldier suggest to be eaten instead of soup?
9. How did Miggery end up going to the castle?
Chapter 29-33
Ch. 29
1. What was Miggery’s first task as servant, and why?
Ch. 30
2. What jobs did Louise try to find for Miggery?
3. What happened when Miggery was sent to the cook?
Ch. 31
4. Why was Miggery oblivious to the horrors of the dungeon?
Ch.32
5. What warning did Gregory have for Miggery?
Ch. 33
6. What connection did Roscuro have with Miggery Sow? What is your
prediction for his plan, and what made the napkin move on the tray?
Chapter 34-43
Ch. 34
1. How was Despereaux saved?
Ch. 35
2. Why did Despereaux weep?
3. Who was the knight in shining armour?
Ch. 36
4. What were the steps of Roscuro’s plan?
Ch. 37
5. What was Princess Pea dreaming about?
6. How did Pea try to save herself?
Ch. 38
7. What did King Phillip dream about?
8. How was Princess Pea’s heart described?
9. Explain a time when you were empathetic.
Ch. 39
10. What was out of place the morning when everyone woke?
Ch. 40
11. Despereaux went to search for the king, who did he find instead?
12. How did Despereaux affect his Pa?
13. What did Desperaux respond to everyone in the room?
Ch. 41
14. Why won’t the king help?
Ch. 42
15. Why did Desperaux visit the threadmaster?
16. What did Hovis give Despereaux?
Ch. 43
What was Cook doing in the kitchen?
Chapter 44-52 ~ conclusion
Ch. 44
1. What happened when Cook saw Despereaux’s ears? What deal was made?
Ch. 45
2. What is the answer when times are tough?
3. What kind of soup did Cook make?
Ch. 46
4. What made Despereaux feel brave and strong?
Ch. 47
5. What did Botticelli have up his sleeve when he asked Despereaux to trust
him? What choice did Despereaux have?
Ch. 48
6. What scared Despereaux in the dungeon?
Ch. 49
7. What made Mig turn her knife on Roscuro? What did she want?
Ch. 50
8. What filled Despereaux with the feeling that everything he did was
worth it?
Ch. 51
9. What did Roscuro smell and what did he confess?
10. Why did Princess Pea offer Roscuro some soup?
Ch. 52
11. Did they all live happily ever after? Explain.
12. Reader, what light did this story bring to you?