Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that although it's animated, this adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's popular Newbery-winning fantasy about a brave mouse tackles mature themes like longing, grief, loyalty, and hurt. There's nothing worrisome in the story aside from a relatively minor character's sudden heart attack and a few scenes of implied violence (there isn't any blood or guns, though Despereaux has a fascination with swords). But because the story's pacing is slower than most animated films and the themes could be difficult for preschool children to grasp, it may be hard for the family's littlest members to understand what some of the characters are feeling.
A relatively minor character dies of a sudden heart attack; a group of rats threatens to kill a mouse; a rat is killed by a cat (off-camera); a couple of characters are tied up and imprisoned; a mob of rats is bloodthirsty; Despereaux duels with rats and outruns human guards.
Characters' fates are all intertwined, so when each of them makes a wise, unselfish decision, everyone lives happily ever after.
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