Pratchett, Terry. A hat full of sky.

PRATCHETT, Terry. A hat full of sky. (A Tiffany Aching adventure.) Harper Tempest. 407p. 0-06058662-1. $6.99. JSA*

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, May 2004: Comic fantasist Pratchett, a Carnegie Medallist and author of the Discworld series, returns to the wonderful characters he created in The Wee Free Men (reviewed in KLIATT in May 2003), and readers will rejoice. Young Tiffany, a dairymaid in rural chalk country, is an extraordinarily clever and self-possessed girl, and also a talented witch. She goes off to live with another witch for a year, to learn to develop her skills, but meanwhile she is stalked by an invisible entity called a hiver, which tries to take over her soul. The Wee Free Men, six-inch-high blue creatures with a love of fighting and strong Celtic accents (a type of fairy, though not the pretty sort--they were tossed out of Fairyland for being drunk), must come to Tiffany's rescue, with hilarious antics and great bravery. In the end, Tiffany learns a great deal about her own powers, and about the good and bad in everyone, including herself. She acquires new mentors, including the witch she lives with, who has a handy extra body and is prone to saying things like "I'm sorry, I left my glasses on my other nose." The ever-inventive Pratchett comes through once again with a comic delight that will engage fantasy fans and make them think, too. He promises at least another in this wonderful series: hurray! Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.