The Tale of Despereaux

Blurb

The Tale of Despereaux is a 2004 Newbery Medal winning fantasy book written by Kate DiCamillo. The main plot follows the adventures of a mouse named Despereaux Tilling, as he sets out on his quest to rescue a beautiful human princess from the rats. The novel is divided into four "books," chapters, and a coda. Each "book" tells the story from the perspective of a different character: Despereaux, Roscuro, Miggery Sow, and all together.
In 2008, the book was adapted into an animated film of the same name. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." It was one of the "Top 100 Chapter Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.