Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
01/10/2003 . Source: Sue Davies 

pub: Doubleday. 318 page hardback. Price £12.99 (UK). ISBN: 0-385-60533-1.

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The picture on the front of this book is of the 'Wee Free Men'. They are the head-banging, hard-drinking and rough tough pictsies of the title. They are 'well-hard' particularly on the farm cat that learns a lesson from them about not chasing birds. CHEEP CHEEP!

Tiffany, who is not very fond of her little brother, is a sensible girl who when confronted with a monster with eyes the size of soup plates checks the dimensions of the soup plates. Her boots seem to walk her and her dress is faded to blue from its many wearings by its many owners.

She is however, a witch grown on chalk, which is apparently impossible. Despite the little brother being permanently sticky she is determined to rescue him from the Queen of Sssh...mustn't name her. Enlisting the help of the WFM, on the promise of Liniment for all, she sets off.

Pratchett has succeeded in populating his new tale with some memorable characters. The talking toad that attaches himself to Tiffany doesn't say 'follow the yellow sick toad' but many people have thought it did apparently.

One of the Wee Free Men is called Rob Anybody and another, Hamish the Mac Feegle, rides a buzzard but has to jump off and lands on his head a lot. They have very hard heads.
It is a smart and funny book that offers so much to readers.

It is a great tale with shades of 'Alice In Wonderland'. There are references to famous Victorian painters, Childe Roland and hundreds others that I probably missed. The most important thing is that you don't need to know any of this to enjoy the great story.

Buy it for your children but don't forget to read it yourself.

Sue Davies