The Tale of Despereaux is three unforgettable stories all rolled into one. First, it is the tale of Despereaux Tilling, a courageous, but tiny mouse, who lives in a castle, falls in love with a princess banished by his own family to the castle dungeon. Next, it is about a rather disturbed rat named Roscuro, who is obsessed with light. Finally, it is about a young girl named Miggery Sow who longs to be a princess. Their lives are connected when Despereaux leads a quest to rescue the princess, who has been taken captive in the dungeon by the evil Roscuro, connecting the lives of the mouse, rat, Mig, and the princess. 

Themes of courage and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds will grip your students, and the activities in this lit link will guide their learning through chapter-by-chapter questions. The additional activities in vocabulary, word study, and personal development are designed according to research-based education principles to improve literacy skills communication and critical thinking. 

Overall Expectations: The students will:

• develop their skills in reading, writing, listening and oral communication
• use good literature as a vehicle for developing skills required by curriculum expectations: reasoning and critical thinking, knowledge of language structure, vocabulary building, and use of conventions
• become meaningfully engaged in the drama of literature through a variety of types of questions and activities
• identify and describe elements of stories (i.e., plot, main idea, characters, setting)
• learn and review many skills to develop good reading habits
• provide clear answers to questions and well-constructed explanations
• organize and classify information to clarify thinking
• learn about the destructive nature of societal prejudice and stereotyping
• relate events and feelings found in the novel to their own lives and experiences
• appreciate the importance of friendship and loyalty in personal relationships
• appreciate that the growth of one's character is more important than wealth or social status
• learn the importance of dealing with adversity and developing perseverance in the face of adversity
• state their own interpretation of a written work, using evidence from the work and from their own knowledge and experience

Introduction includes:

• At A Glance – Skill List by Chapter
• Overall Expectations
• Skill List
• Teaching Suggestions
• Story Summary and Author Biography
• Student Checklist
• Answer Key 

Chapter Questions 

• Chapters One to Four
  • Student Booklet Cover
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Five to Eight
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Nine to Twelve
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Thirteen to Fifteen
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Sixteen to Nineteen
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Twenty to Twenty-Three
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Twenty-Four to Twenty-Six
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Twenty-Seven to Twenty-Nine
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Thirty to Thirty-Three
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Thirty-Four to Thirty-Seven
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Thirty-Eight to Forty-One
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Forty-Two to Forty-Five
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Forty-Six to Forty-Nine
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities 

• Chapters Fifty to Fifty-Two
  • Before You Read
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Language Activities

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