The Wee Free Men
A nightmarish danger threatens from the other side of reality . . . Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, young witch-to-be Tiffany Aching must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegle--aka the Wee Free Men--a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men. Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the sinister Queen of the Elves herself. . . .
"Tiffany's witchcraft eschews the flamboyant tricks of wizards; it is quiet, inconspicuous magic, grounded in the earth and tempered with compassion, wisdom, and justice for common folk. ...All in all, this is a funny and thought-provoking fantasy, with powerfully visual scenes and characters that remain with readers. A glorious read." -- School Library Journal
The fantastic adventures of Tiffany Aching continue with the sequel A Hat Full of Sky.
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Description
Amazon.com Review
Nine-year-old Tiffany Aching needs magic--fast! Her sticky little brother Wentworth has been spirited away by the evil Queen of faerie, and it's up to her to get him back safely. Having already decided to grow up to be a witch, now all Tiffany has to do is find her power. But she quickly learns that it's not all black cats and broomsticks. According to her witchy mentor Miss Tick, "Witches don't use magic unless they really have to...We do other things. A witch pays attention to everything that's going on...A witch uses her head...A witch always has a piece of string!"Luckily, besides her trusty string, Tiffany's also got the Nac Mac Feegles, or the Wee Free Men on her side. Small, blue, and heavily tattooed, the Feegles love nothing more than a good fight except maybe a drop of strong drink! Tiffany, heavily armed with an iron skillet, the feisty Feegles, and a talking toad on loan from Miss Tick, is a formidable adversary. But the Queen has a few tricks of her own, most of them deadly. Tiffany and the Feegles might get more than they bargained for on the flip side of Faerie! Prolific fantasy author Terry Pratchett has served up another delicious helping of his famed Discworld fare. The not-quite-teen set will delight in the Feegles' spicy, irreverent dialogue and Tiffany's salty determination. Novices to Pratchett's prose will find much to like here, and quickly go back to devour the rest of his Discworld offerings. Scrumptiously recommended.--Jennifer Hubert
Details
| Recommended Age | 9 - 14 |
|---|---|
| Special Features | Mighty Girl Top Picks |
| Author | Terry Pratchett |
| ISBN | 0060012382 |
| Publication Date | May 25, 2004 |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Language | English |
Customer Reviews
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My favourite female character
by Seth on April 9, 2012
Those familiar with Terry Pratchett's work won't be surprised at the quality of these stories. They may, however, be surprised at how easily he gets the tone right for a young adult book. He never condescends, never talks down to his reader, but explains what he means with clarity and wit.
He has also managed to create one of the finest fictional role models a young woman could ask for. Tiffany Aching is a plain girl who works hard and keeps her head down, and who likes to know about things. She lives in a world of magical creatures and fairy tale stories, but feels (like many young people) out of place. She decodes that since she doesn't want to be the princess waiting to be rescued, and she can't be the prince (being a girl), she'll be the witch.
She quickly learns that witches live by their wits, using guile and resourcefulness far often that magic to solve problems - and solve them they must! Tiffany quickly establishes herself as decisive, intelligent and determined. The messages that Pratchett delivers to girls are about finding your way in the world without letting the world define you, and about hard work and thoughtfulness being the best resources at your disposal. All the Tiffany Aching stories (of which this is the first) are full of excellent messages and role models for girls, and I look forward to introducing my daughter to the witches of the Discworld as soon as she is old enough.
