The Tale of Despereaux by the numbers
Kate DiCamillo · first published 2003 · dataset 2026-10-24
Who it is not for: readers below 3rd grade: no school list in our data assigns it earlier. At 270 pages it is also longer than the median book listed for grades 3-5 (160), so it is not a quick read.
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Length and reading time
| Pages (dataset edition) | 270 |
|---|---|
| Estimated words | 74,000 |
| Reading time, 300 wpm (fast) | 4 h 8 min |
| Reading time, 250 wpm (average adult) | 4 h 57 min |
| Reading time, 200 wpm (careful / younger reader) | 6 h 11 min |
| Days at 20 minutes a day | 15 |
| Lexile measure | 670L |
At 270 pages, The Tale of Despereaux is longer than 71.6% of the 2,330 books on the reading lists we track whose page count we know (2,809 books are tracked in all). It is longer than the median book listed for grades 3-5 (160 pages).
The Tale of Despereaux is 270 pages; the median book listed for grades 3-5 is 160 pages and the median of all 2,330 listed books with a page count is 187.
Source: Page counts of 2,330 books on U.S. school reading lists, bookstatistics.com · Dataset snapshot 2026-10-24
Show the numbers
| Book | Pages |
|---|---|
| The Tale of Despereaux | 270 pages |
| Median book listed for grades 3-5 | 160 pages |
| Median of all listed books | 187 pages |
Word counts and reading times are estimates: pages × 275 words, divided by the reading speed. Your edition's page count and your own pace will differ.
Where The Tale of Despereaux is on school reading lists
85 appearances (0.4% of all 20,804 listings in the dataset), drawn from 21 published lists, in grades 3rd–7th. 85 of the 85 carry a link to the published source document.
States (18): Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
| Grade | Listings |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 20 |
| 4th | 22 |
| 5th | 22 |
| 6th | 20 |
| 7th | 1 |
Sources
- Rhode Island Office of Library & Information Services (OLIS) — Rhode Island Children's Book Award winners and nominees 1991-2025 — 2005 winner · checked 2026-09-24
- Blue Hen Book Award — Delaware's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record. · checked 2026-07-07
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) — Kentucky's statewide children's-choice reading program: students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record. · checked 2026-07-07
- Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record. · checked 2026-07-07
- Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025. · checked 2026-07-07
- Vermont Dept. of Libraries — Golden Dome Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, est. 1957): Vermont's statewide grades 4-8 children's-choice program (students read the nominees and vote). Winner list 1957-2020. · checked 2026-07-07
Questions
How many pages is The Tale of Despereaux?
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is 270 pages in the edition recorded in our dataset. Page counts vary by edition and format; at about 275 words per page that is roughly 74,000 words. See how long assigned books are, grade by grade.
How long does it take to read The Tale of Despereaux?
About 4 h 57 min at an average adult pace of 250 words per minute (4 h 8 min at 300 wpm, 6 h 11 min at 200 wpm). At 20 minutes a day that is about 15 days. Compare a book of about the same length: Esperanza Rising.
Is The Tale of Despereaux on school reading lists?
Yes. It appears 85 times on the U.S. school reading lists, award lists and curricula in our dataset, in 18 states plus 12 national-curriculum listings, most often in grades 3-5. That ranks it #10 of 2,809 listed books. See the most assigned books, ranked.
When was The Tale of Despereaux first published?
The Tale of Despereaux was first published in 2003, 23 years ago. See how old assigned books are, decade by decade.
Related
- The Tale of Despereaux: reading level, grades and similar booksOn ReadingList, our sister site for school reading lists.
- More by Kate DiCamilloMercy Watson to the Rescue
- Books of about the same lengthEsperanza Rising (272 pp.) · Growing Home (272 pp.) · To Kill a Mockingbird (281 pp.) · Monster (281 pp.)
- The most assigned books, rankedAll 2,809 listed books start here.
- Book length statisticsHow long assigned books are, by grade.
Cite this page
<a href="https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-tale-of-despereaux/">The Tale of Despereaux statistics</a>. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [The Tale of Despereaux statistics](https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-tale-of-despereaux/). Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [url=https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-tale-of-despereaux/]The Tale of Despereaux statistics[/url]. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site.