I have heard so many wonderful things about this book and love Kate DiCamillo's other books. However, after reading The Tale of Desperaux this summer it seems sooo dark and serious. I am not sure if it's an appropriate read aloud for 3rd grade. There is a lot of death, abuse, and just horrible things in this story! Opinions? For those of you who have read it aloud to your class, what did your students think of the dark nature? Did it inspire discussion? Did any parents comment? Thanks!
I read Tale of Desperaux aloud to my 2/3 class last year. They absolutely loved it! The themes of light and dark are wonderful. I read it at the beginning of the school year and it seemed like every other book we read and every reading strategy or literary device we learned was connected back to Desperaux. Many students bought the book from Scholastic orders. I did not have any parents complain about it. Some even commented on how much their kids enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this book!
I would like to see how people comment about this thread since, on a previous thread, most of us were looking forward to reading the book.
I think they would love it, too! 3rd graders are really higher thinkers than we think I taught 3 rd last year, and was quite impressed how deep they really can think!
My cooperating teacher (3rd grade) has read this book aloud for the past two years and plans to continue to do so. The kids LOVE this book and in a school with very involved parents there were no complaint/comments about her reading this book to the students. The year before I student taught with her, she even gave this book to her kids as an end of the year gift b/c the kids loved it so much.
I read this book aloud to my 2nd graders last year and we loved it! Of course, it is a fun book to read aloud if you like to do different voices, which I do, and the kids love! Yes, the book goes to some dark places, but really, the message is about love, and light overcoming darkness...a nice one! It also can spur discussion about overcoming pre-conceived notions about people because of their race etc. It may have been slightly over my 2nd graders heads, but I don't thinks so! We had some really great discussions during and after the book about its main themes. Every day they were so excited when it came to storytime!
I read it to my fourth graders last year. They liked it although I think I enjoyed it more! It is a very sweet story.
I read it to my fifth graders last year and they were crazy about it. I plan on reading it again because there was such positive feedback from the kids last year. I didn't have any parents complain and I work in a Christian school with very involved parents.
Yes! and the movie is coming out soon I LOVE that book. I have read it with the high readers in 2nd grade. I think 3rd grade and up would be perfect and the movie version is coming out in theatres in December -08. From the trailers (look on you tube) it looks quite different than the book, great for a compare/contrast. Pam
Awesome book! I read it with my fifth graders last year and they were captivated during read aloud and very active during discussion.
Thanks, this is just the feedback I was looking for. My plan was to read it before the movie came out and I think I'll still do so. Thanks.
I read it to my fifth graders and they LOVE it! I'm sure 3rd graders would too. I know some fourth graders who read it last year and thought it was great. It's such a good book. Even my boys were into it.
