Grade 5-7-Tiffany, an extremely competent nine-year-old, takes care of her irritating brother, makes good cheese on her father's farm, and knows how to keep secrets. When monsters from Fairyland invade her world and her brother disappears, Tiffany, armed only with her courage, clear-sightedness, a manual of sheep diseases, and an iron frying pan, goes off to find him. Her search leads her to a showdown with the Fairy Queen. It is clear from the beginning that Tiffany is a witch, and a mighty powerful one. The book is full of witty dialogue and a wacky cast of characters, including a toad (formerly a lawyer). Much of the humor is supplied by the alcohol-swilling, sheep-stealing pictsies, the Wee Free Men of the title, who are six-inches high and speak in a broad Scottish brogue. (The fact that readers will not understand some of the dialect won't matter, as Tiffany doesn't understand either, and it is all part of the joke.) These terrors of the fairy world are Tiffany's allies, and she becomes their temporary leader as they help her search for the Fairy Queen. Once the story moves into Fairyland it becomes more complex, with different levels of dream states (or, rather, nightmares) and reality interweaving. 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. Not as outrageous and perhaps not as inventive as The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (HarperCollins, 2001), The Wee Free Men has a deeper, more human interest and is likely to have wider appeal. All in all, this is a funny and thought-provoking fantasy, with powerfully visual scenes and characters that remain with readers. A glorious read.
Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Book Specs:
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (May 25, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060012382
ISBN-13: 978-0060012380
If you want a book that is hilariously funny and heart-warming all at the same time: Read this! Terry Prachett does an amazing job of building the land of faerie and before you know it you are in love with the Wee Free Men and their Scottish brouge. You feel as surely as Tiffany does and in the end, you feel satisfied with the questions answered, and new ones brewing! This book is suggested for 5th - 7th grade, probably because the protagonist is 9 years old, but I see no reason why you couldn't teach this in a classroom for older students: heck, I am almost 30 and this has got to be one of my most favorite books ever! And, I haven't experienced the book as an audio, but I hear that it is really funny!
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