I just finished the audio book for The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, read by Graeme Malcolm. The audio book is phenomenal, a standout example of audio books that work as performance. It’s the kind of interpretation I see myself coming back to for a long time.

The story itself is delightful, exciting, and absolutely riveting. Children who haven’t already read this book will love it. It’s been on my list of books to read for ages, and I’m so glad I listened to the audio book. Malcolm makes DiCamillo’s words feel epic.

Despereaux, a tiny and frail mouse, falls in love with the human princess Pea. As a result of this, he embarks on a great adventure through the castle where he meets all kinds of characters. This includes the rat villain of the story, Roscuro. This is a great tale of bravery, honor, and love. It has all the elements of the great classics, and I think it’s destined to take its place with them. I can’t recommend this book (and the audio book) enough. It is the most delightful children’s novel I’ve read in quite a while.