“When you are a king, you may make as many ridiculous laws as you like. That is what being a king is all about.”

“And he discovered, finally, the source of the honey-sweet sound.The sound was music.The sound was King Phillip playing his guitar and singing for his daughter, the Princess Pea, every night before she fell asleep.Hidden in a hole in the wall of the princess's bedroom, the mouse listened with all his heart. The sound of the King's music made Despereaux's soul grow large and light inside of him.Oh," he said, "it sounds like heaven. It smells like honey.”

“Reader, do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since, in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?”

“I have been loved, Edward told the stars. So? said the stars. What difference does that make when you are all alone now?”

“The sound of the king's music made Despereaux's soul grow large and light inside of him.”

“Reader, you may ask this question; in fact, you must ask this question: Is it ridiculous for a very small, sickly, big-eared mouse to fall in love with a beautiful princess named Pea?The answer is . . . yes. Of course, it's ridiculous.Love is ridiculous.But love is also wonderful. And powerful.”

“And hope is like love...a ridiculous, wonderful, powerful thing.”