The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching #1) (Paperback)

Other Books in Series
This is book number 1 in the Tiffany Aching series.
- #2: A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching #2) (Paperback): $10.99
- #3: Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching #3) (Paperback): $10.99
- #4: I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching #4) (Paperback): $12.99
- #5: The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching #5) (Paperback): $12.99
Staff Reviews
Something is lurking in the river, and 9-year-old Tiffany Aching is going to catch what’s lurking - by using her brother as bait. While Tiffany’s brother plays by the river, out pounces Jenny Greenteeth and before Jenny is able to swallow up Tiffany’s brother, she gets cracked upside the head with a frying pan. Little did Tiffany know that this action would set into motion a magical journey filled with an army of tiny blue men, different worlds, and an Evil Queen. This is the beginning of the Tiffany Aching series by Pratchett, one of many series within the massive Discworld. I think it is a wonderful introduction to Discworld for anyone interested in fantasy with a twist of the absurd.
-Zach
— From Zach's RecsDescription
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children's Book * Horn Book Fanfare Book * Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice * SLJ Best Book of the Year
By the beloved and bestselling grandmaster of fantasy, Sir Terry Pratchett, this is the first in a series of Discworld novels starring the young witch Tiffany Aching.
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. . . .
The five funny and fabulous Tiffany Aching adventures are:
- The Wee Free Men
- A Hat Full of Sky
- Wintersmith
- I Shall Wear Midnight
- The Shepherd’s Crown
Tiffany’s mentors, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, star in the novels Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Maskerade, and Carpe Jugulum.
And don’t miss Terry Pratchett’s hilarious and wise Discworld novel The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, winner of the Carnegie Medal!
About the Author
Terry Pratchett was the acclaimed author of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Color of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he was the author of more than fifty bestselling books which have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal for his young adult novel, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. He was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest services to literature was to avoid writing any. He lived in England and died in 2015 at the age of sixty-six.
Praise For…
“With its wry wit and acerbic collision of the mystical with the mundane, the latest book in Pratchett’s internationally popular Discworld, is good solid storytelling done in a style that reads like Celtic mythology fused with the girl power of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” with dialogue by Robert Burns.” — New York Times Book Review
“Exuberant and irresistible. Pratchett’s tale recalls a whole variety of texts in which underestimated heroines confront the forces of darkness—Meg Murry of A Wrinkle in Time, Coraline of Neil Gaiman’s recent novel, Lyra Belacqua of The Golden Compass, Miss Bianca of The Rescuers, even Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” — Washington Post
“A smart retelling [that] delves into weighty issues but keeps its sense of dark humor.” — USA Today
Wonderful language, genuinely scary explorations, and a young girl whose growing up is believable and exciting.” — Chicago Tribune
“An enthralling and rewarding read.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Set in a chillingly unrecognizable ‘fairyland,’ this ingenious melange of fantasy, action, humor, and sly bits of social commentary contains complex underlying themes on the nature of love, reality, and dreams. The Carnegie Medal-winner’s fans will not be disappointed.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Perfect for anyone who enjoys The Princess Bride and the works of Douglas Adams. A wonderfully funny fantasy for all ages.” — KLIATT (starred review)
A glorious read.” — School Library Journal (starred review)