A Hat Full of Sky [Paperback]

Pratchett's third children's novel set in the Discworld, and the second to feature wannabe witch Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men, is so ridiculously well written and consistently funny it makes you wonder how he can keep writing such superlative novels without cheating a bit. It would be reassuring to think that the Carnegie Medal-winning author of The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents and The Wee Free Men had his own small army of professional helpers, not unlike like a US sitcom, inventing and deliberating about which are the best jokes and plot lines to use to ensure the best quality quotient. But it's all his own work and that makes each brilliant novel more remarkable because of it.

A Hat Full of Sky continues the adventures of eleven-year-old Tiffany as she endeavours to become a proper witch. She's 'done' magic before, quite spectacularly and to great effect, but now she must be apprenticed to an established practitioner of the craft, the amazing Miss Level, in order to learn exactly how she did it. Unfortunately for her, there's a crazed and malevolent ancient spirit buzzing about, called a Hiver, who is looking for a convenient host to consume. Hiver's are attracted to greatness, and Tiffany hides an enormous talent that seems ripe for domination.

Still grateful for Miss Aching's past help, a crack team of several Wee Free Men, nature's funkiest, drunkest and bluest fairy folk, take it upon themselves to help Tiffany out. Hiver's, however, are unbeatable and it's a definite "sooey-side mission" to save the big wee hag from harm.

It's great to see writing of such quality in a children's novel, and it's further evidence that this sector of the publishing world is having a bit of a golden decade. Long may it continue! (Age 10 and over)--John McLay --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

"The great Terry Pratchett, whose wit is metaphysical, who creates an energetic and lively secondary world, who has a multifarious genius for strong parody as opposed to derivative manipulation of past motifs, who deals with death with startling originality. Who writes amazing sentences."
--A.S. Byatt in "The New York Times"

"A passion for language, wordplay and puns bursts from the pages."
--Daily Telegraph

"A great Pratchett strength is the sense that if the jokes were dropped there would still be
a good, engaging fantasy thriller here."
--"The Independent
"
"Fantastically inventive and humorous fantasy adventure. Fans will be sky high."
--"The Sunday Times
"
"Pratchett's ear for dialogue is superb... His deep feeling for landscape, animals, kindness and courage make his adventures deeply satisfying as well as clever."
--Amanda Craig, "The Times" --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

" 'Pratchett's ear for dialogue is superb... His deep feeling for landscape, animals, kindness and courage make his adventures deeply satisfying as well as clever' Amanda Craig, The Times 'Oodles of dry wit, Imagination and shrewdly observed characters' Independent on Sunday 'A great Pratchett strength is the sense that if the jokes... were dropped there would still be a good, engaging fantasy thriller here' Independent 'Fantastically inventive and humorous fantasy adventure. Fans will be sky high' Sunday Times"

A sharply humorous sequel to The Wee Free Men.

A real witch never casually steps out of her body, leaving it empty. Eleven-year-old Tiffany does. And there's something just waiting for a handy body to take over. Something ancient and horrible, which can't die . . .

Wise, witty and wonderful, A Hat Full of Sky is Terry Pratchett's second novel about Tiffany and the Wee Free Men - the rowdiest, toughest, smelliest bunch of fairies ever. They'll fight anything. And even they might not be enough to save Tiffany . . .

'We see you. Now we are you . . .'

No real witch would casually step out of their body, leaving it empty. Tiffany Aching does. And there's something just waiting for a handy body to take over. Something ancient and horrible, which can't die.

To deal with it, Tiffany has to go to the heart of what makes her a witch. Get past the 'I can't'.

But even with the help of the Nac Mac Feegle - the rowdiest pictsies on the Disc, who like facing enormous odds - she still might not be able to win herself back . . .

THE SECOND BOOK IN THE TIFFANY ACHING SEQUENCE

'Crivens! If ye'll tak' my advice, ye'll read this right noo' Rob Anybody, Big Man of the Nac Mac Feegle

'Fantastically inventive' Sunday Times

Terry Pratchett is the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he is the author of fifty bestselling books. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he is the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal, as well as being awarded a knighthood for services to literature. Worldwide sales of his books now stand at 70 million, and they have been translated into thirty-seven languages.