Exciting, thought-provoking and riotously funny--in addition to being more tightly plotted than many of Pratchett's books. Just about the perfect YA fantasy!

Tiffany Aching is a wonderful, unique protagonist, and her titular sidekicks are a hoot. Only Terry Pratchett could take a fantasy novel about an old-beyond-her-years nine-year old, add a group of six-inch-tall Scottish hooligans, and turn it into a thought-provoking exploration of the living nature of stories.

The Tiffany Aching stories by Terry Pratchett are fabulous! They are humorous and the characters are rich and there is not a better storyteller than Pratchett.

My husband bought this book because our family is always looking for a new series which we can all read & enjoy together. WE travel alot so listened to it on the iPOD first. Our sons (14 & 12) enjoyed it. The story of Tiffany Aching & her Little blue friends has plenty of adventure while still getting the point across that all your choices have consequences. It is nice to have the protagonist be a self sufficient girl & yet there is none of the male bashing that seems to be so prevalent now. Tiffany soon realizes that being a witch isn't easy, in fact it seems like a lot of everyday Hard work. Granny Aching is one of my favorite characters simply because she was such an important part of Tffany's life. However, like many of us Tiffany didn't realize this until Granny was gone. We have already purchased the next 2 books & really hope Mr. Pratchett will continue woth Tiffany's aadventures as she grows up!!

Aching sets out to find her younger brother. But she is not alone. Accompanying her is a band of pictsies, the Nac Mac Feegle, little blue men who love to drink, steal and fight. Together, they will travel to Fairyland to confront the Queen and rescue both Tiffany's brother and the son of the local Baron. Along the way Tiffany discovers that she has special insights, and comes to understand her destiny, filling the shoes of her late Granny Aching.

A fun fantasy, with a smattering of silly and amusing scenes, this book also provides a bit of social commentary, but is mostly just good entertainment.

In terms of this particular Discworld-derivative idea, I haven't been overly fanatical about Terry's decision to "youthanize." Please don't read anything overtly negative into that little pun: The Aching books are superb.

However, I always felt that Terry's Discworld is such an excellent and timeless literary creation that it never needed to be cross-marketed or tailored for any one set of readers over another. Discworld is always so well-delineated and conceived that it's capable of bringing youthful devotees up-to-speed and jaded old poops like myself into a purely giddy, almost childlike state of devilish euphoria, at the same time.

Basically, Discworld has always been versatile *just* as it's been written. Deliberately making a kiddie-version of that world seemed (to me) redundant, but then again...I am no longer a kid! I write this review mainly for those adult fans of Pratchett who may expect to enjoy the Aching books as much as they enjoy the adult Discworld novels. After all, grown-ups can and do get very excited about Young Adult books from time to time--look at the Rowling phenomenon as it continues to play-out among some adults (a particular enthusiasm I have never shared or thought remotely convincing).

Adult fans can unquestionably enjoy these YA books by Pratchett, just don't expect them to be the same as his adult novels. Apples and oranges, as they say. That's my point.

In any case, Terry certainly can write for the young adult crowd; there's no doubt. best of all, Terry's narrative voice does not "talk down" to young adults, as others sometimes do, in the sense that he sacrifices the delicious wisdom that is part-and-parcel of the overarching Pratchett craftsmanship.

Though I believe Terry Pratchett (as a writer) is always light-years more stocked in the Talent Department than someone like J.K. Rowling, for example, I don't think 'Wee Free Men' is quite as good as 'Hat Full of Stars' or 'Wintersmith'. The plotting of 'Wee Free Men' seemed a tad aimless and lazy when compared with the other two Tiffany Aching books, even with my "kid head" screwed-on. Young adults can pick-up on these things, but it's a minor quibble, I assure you.

Pratchett could fall out of bed and still be better than 90 percent of the people writing similar Young Adult material these days. If you're a parent looking to interest your 11-16 year-old in superb material and get a kid ready for the joyful wealth of "adult" Discworld in the future, Tiffany Aching is your girl.