The Last One
- At the beginning of the "Book the First: A Mouse is Born," a little mouse is born within the walls of a castle. He's the only one of his litter that survived.
- His mother, Antoinette, is disappointed and sad that all the other babies died. She's convinced that this one will die too, and she names him Despereaux for all of the sadness and despair in this place.
- The father mouse puts the baby down and all the older mice children gather around to look at him. They comment on his huge ears and how his eyes are open, even though he's just been born.
- That's when the mother mouse announces that this is her last child. The father mouse says that this one probably won't live… but he does. This book is that baby mouse's story.