Parent reviews for The Wee Free Men

The audiobook is fantastic and fine for kids of any age. It would be too much for a very young child to understand, but there's nothing wrong with them listening. There are little blue guys (the wee free men) who do get drunk and beat up the bad creatures, but if you don't have a problem with Looney Toons you shouldn't have a problem with this. The drinking and fighting is comedic and the little girl doesn't approve. The main character is a little girl who has lots of older siblings and just recently a little brother whom she's jealous of. He's just sticky and throwing a tantrum all the time and it's her job to watch him. A middle child or recently big sibling might like this book. The book addresses death and loneliness. It also addresses guilt and taking responsibility. It encourages critical thinking and acting in ways to help others.

Tried reading this to my daughter when she was seven, but it didn't catch her interest (the Enchanted Forest Chronicles were more her speed). Tried again at eight and it quickly became a favorite for both of us. An involving story, a compelling protagonist, and great values in everything from a love of learning to honoring a grandmother's memory.

I absolutely adored this book when I was younger, I can't remember my age when I first read it but I was around 10-12. Since the first reading I've reread it another 3 times (the whole series) and still adore it. It's a beautiful story about a little girl who doesn't feel special finding out she has the same special gift as her granny who passed. She has to learn to look out for others and be true to herself. I highly suggest it and am actually getting it for my sister's 9th birthday here in a few months. It's a quick read so if you have any concerns please read it and see how you feel about it yourself. There's a bit of drinking from the "wee free men" but none from the main character fo the little girl. There's also only a bit of violence such as hitting a monster with a pan, but never involving another adult or human.

This book features a nine year old girl who has decided she wants to be a witch *because* she has seen how her community harasses to death an outcast that they have perceived as a witch. It's a very entertaining lesson on humanism that works for both younger and adult readers, a highlight of the Discworld no matter who you are. The Nac Mac Feegle provide plenty of comedy for young and old and since none of their bad behavior needs to be explained within context (they are consistently viewed as objectively naughty) there's nothing really that's questionable (unless you count Granny Aching's behavior in memories).

When I read this book to my girls, at ages 5 and 9, the older one loved it and the younger was often entertained (especially by the Feegle dialogue). I've now read to them all four of the Tiffany Aching books, which do become more mature as the lead character ages, somewhat similar in that fashion to the Harry Potter books. With a few pauses to explain certain plot points in age-appropriate context, the wit and humanity remain strong throughout the series, and I highly recommend starting here for your own bright-minded children.

While it does portray some of the characters drinking and fighting a little bit, it shows it as something that makes them act like idiots and certainly doesn't glamorize it at all. Tiffany is a GREAT role model in that she thinks for herself and doesn't allow herself to be pigeonholed.

For kids that enjoy the fantasy genre, this book is a great read. Tiffany's a great character who ends up on top and stays the course, but is scared and unsure the whole time - pretty much like reality. As always, Terry Pratchett has witty dialogue, strong characters, and excellent comedic timing!