The Wee Free Men facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Terry Pratchett |
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| Cover artist | Paul Kidby |
| Language | English |
| Series | Discworld 30th novel – 1st Tiffany Aching story |
| Subject |
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| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
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Publication date
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2003 |
| Awards | WH Smith Teen Choice Award 2003 American Library Association's Best Book For Young Adults 2004 Parenting Book of the Year Award 2003 Center for Children's Books' Blue Ribbon Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book 2004 |
| ISBN | 0-385-60533-1 |
| Followed by | A Hat Full of Sky |
The Wee Free Men is a funny fantasy book written by Terry Pratchett in 2003. It's part of his famous Discworld series. This book is special because it was written for younger readers, unlike most of the other Discworld novels.
It's the first story about a young witch named Tiffany Aching. The book also introduces the Nac Mac Feegle, who are tiny, blue, and very wild fairy folk. Their unique way of speaking comes from Scots and Scottish Gaelic languages.
There are several other books in Tiffany Aching's story. These include A Hat Full of Sky (2004), Wintersmith (2006), I Shall Wear Midnight (2010), and The Shepherd's Crown (2015).
Contents
Story Summary: Tiffany's Adventure
This section tells you what happens in The Wee Free Men.
Tiffany Meets the Wee Free Men
The story begins with Tiffany Aching, a smart 9-year-old girl. She lives on a place called the Chalk, which is a big, grassy hill. Tiffany sees things that others don't. One day, by the river, she sees two small, blue men wearing kilts. They warn her about a "green heid" in the water.
Suddenly, a scary green monster named Jenny Greenteeth pops out! Tiffany bravely uses her little brother, Wentworth, as bait. She then hits the monster with a frying pan. Wentworth doesn't even notice the monster or the little men.
A Witch's Calling
Tiffany later meets Miss Tick, a traveling teacher who is also a witch. Miss Tick tells Tiffany that the little blue men are the Nac Mac Feegle. They are wild, strong, and speak with a Glaswegian accent. Miss Tick believes Tiffany is meant to be the witch of her homeland. She gives Tiffany a toad to guide her, then disappears.
Kidnapped Brother and New Friends
Tiffany goes home and finds the Nac Mac Feegle are incredibly fast and strong. They are also strangely afraid of her, especially because she can read and write. When her brother Wentworth is taken by the evil Queen of the Fairies, Tiffany knows she needs help.
She asks the Nac Mac Feegle to help her rescue Wentworth. They agree because they are terrified of her and willing to follow her lead. Rob Anybody, Big Yan, and Daft Wullie are some of the Feegles who join her.
Journey to Fairyland
The Feegles take Tiffany to their home, where she meets their leader, the Kelda. Tiffany learns that Wentworth is in Fairyland, the Queen's home. The Kelda is dying and tells Tiffany she must become the new Kelda. Tiffany manages to avoid marrying Rob Anybody!
Tiffany then finds the secret entrance to the Queen's world. Inside, she and the Feegles fight giant wolves and strange blob-like creatures called dromes. These dromes cause dreams.
Facing the Queen
Tiffany goes through many dreams and finds Roland, the Baron's son, who was also kidnapped. They eventually find Wentworth and the Queen in a dream. The Queen's dream-monsters almost defeat Tiffany. But Roland helps by freeing the Feegles from a giant walnut where they were trapped.
They escape into a dream Tiffany creates. The Queen tries to trick Tiffany into thinking her friends are gone. But Tiffany remembers her wise Granny Aching and finds the strength to fight back. She defeats the Queen in her own dream world.
The Return Home
Tiffany learns that the Feegles and Wentworth were fine all along. The Queen's trap wasn't strong enough for the Feegles! Tiffany, Roland, Wentworth, and the Feegles all return home safely. The Baron mistakenly gives Roland all the credit, but Tiffany doesn't mind.
Granny Aching's Influence
Tiffany's Granny Aching is very important to the story. She was a strong, quiet shepherd who knew a lot about the land. Granny Aching was the perfect example of a witch in the book. Her memories and stories help Tiffany find the courage to defeat the Queen.
Movie Plans
People have tried to make a movie based on The Wee Free Men several times.
Early Attempts
In 2006, there were talks that director Sam Raimi might make the movie. Sony Pictures bought the rights to the book. However, Terry Pratchett later said he didn't like the script. He felt it didn't capture the spirit of his book. He thought the studio had changed it too much. By 2009, Pratchett got the rights back.
New Plans
In 2013, Terry Pratchett's daughter, Rhianna Pratchett, announced that she would write a new movie script for The Wee Free Men. In 2016, it was confirmed that The Jim Henson Company would help develop the film.
See also
In Spanish: The Wee Free Men para niños
