The Tale of Despereaux Worksheets

by Kate DiCamillo

Reading Level R · Lexile 670L · ATOS 4.1

A brave, big-eared mouse named Despereaux sets out to rescue a human princess from the dungeon — an interwoven tale of light, darkness, and forgiveness.

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The Tale of Despereaux vocabulary words and comprehension questions

64 vocabulary words and 48 comprehension questions across 16 sections: Book the First: Despereaux Is Born (Chapters 1-2) · Book the First: A Mouse Who Loves Music and Light (Chapters 3-4) · Book the First: Despereaux Falls in Love with the Princess Pea (Chapters 5-7) · Book the First: The Mouse Council Banishes Despereaux (Chapters 8-15) · Book the Second: Chiaroscuro the Rat and a Love of Light (Chapters 16-18) · Book the Second: Roscuro Climbs into the Light (Chapters 19-20) · Book the Second: The Queen Dies and Soup Is Outlawed (Chapters 21-23) · Book the Second: Roscuro Plots His Revenge (Chapters 22-23) · Book the Third: Miggery Sow's Hard Life (Chapters 24-25) · Book the Third: Mig's Wish to Be a Princess (Chapters 26-28) · Book the Third: Roscuro Uses Mig in His Plot (Chapters 29-33) · Book the Fourth: Despereaux Survives the Dungeon (Chapters 34-35) · Book the Fourth: The Princess Is Kidnapped (Chapters 36-39) · Book the Fourth: Despereaux Arms Himself with a Needle (Chapters 40-45) · Book the Fourth: Into the Dungeon to Rescue the Princess (Chapters 46-49) · Book the Fourth: Light, Forgiveness, and Soup (Chapters 50-52 and Coda).

Vocabulary words include litter, disappointment, ordeal, siblings, remarkable, trembling, captivating, conform, honor, adoringly, ridiculous, protested, council, renounce, devotion, treacherous, dungeon, longing, illumination, torment.

Sample questions

How is Despereaux different from the other mice in his family?
Why are Despereaux's parents and siblings worried about him?
What unusual features and interests set Despereaux apart at birth?

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