The Tale of Despereaux.

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The mouse Despereaux marches to a different drumbeat, and this tale, with allusions galore, celebrates storytelling, art, and music—the finer things in life. Weaving together three stories—Despereaux’s quest to save the princess he loves, a serving girl’s desire to be a princess, and a rat’s mission to live in the light—DiCamillo toys with the interconnectedness and serendipity of life. The occasional “dear listener” address (rather than the book’s “dear reader”) makes listeners feel connected to this magnificently narrated story. In often suave tones, Malcolm delivers the serving girl’s dialogue in an impeccable cockney dialect and the rat’s conversations in a flawless French accent. The author communicates many philosophic truths, which are quite accessible in this audio version. The book is the recipient of the 2004 Newbery medal and the audio is an ALA Notable Children’s Recordings, 2004, selection.