Smith, Matt

"Despereaux, a mouse, meets and falls in love with a princess, gets banished to the dungeon (from which no mouse has ever returned)!, and is captured by a pack of hungry rats. Despereaux barely escapes with his life, but he honors his quest to act as a knight would - with bravery and courage in the face of danger." -- Back cover.

"Cheated of his lands and banished through the trickery of his enemies, Barbarian Lord recruits allies and battles monsters, ghouls, and bad poets in his quest for justice"--Back cover.

The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.