Check out our Most Anticipated Books for 2025

Summary and Reviews of A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

A Hat Full of Sky

by Terry Pratchett
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • First Published:
  • May 25, 2004, 288 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jun 2005, 448 pages
  • Rate this book

  • Buy This Book

About This Book

Book Summary

Tiffany Aching, a young witch-in-training, learns about magic and responsibility as she battles a disembodied monster with the assistance of the six-inch-high Wee Free Men and Mistress Weatherwax, the greatest witch in the world.  Ages 12+.

The Heroine: Tiffany Aching, incipient witch and cheese maker extraordinaire. Once saved world from Queen of the Elves. Is about to discover that battling evil monarchs is child's play compared to mortal combat with a Hiver (see below). At eleven years old, is boldest heroine ever to have confronted the Forces of Darkness while armed with a frying pan.

The Threat:
A Hiver, insidious disembodied presence drawn to powerful magic. highly dangerous, frequently lethal. Cannot be stopped with iron or fire. Its target: Tiffany Aching (see above).

The Nac Mac Feegle:
A.k.a. the Wee Free Men. Height: six inches. Color: blue. Famed for drinking, stealing, and fighting. Will attack anything larger than themselves. Members include: Rob Anybody, Daft Wullie, and Awfully Wee Billy Bigchin. Allies to Tiffany Aching (see above).

The Book:
Hilarious, breathtaking, spine-tingling sequel to the acclaimed Wee Free Men.

The Author:
Terry Pratchett, celebrated creator of the internationally best-selling Discworld series. Carnegie Medalist and writer extraordinaire.

Introduction

From Fairies and How to Avoid Them by Miss Perspicacia Tick:
The Nac Mac Feegle

(also called Pictsies, The Wee Free Men, The Little Men, and
"Person or Persons Unknown, Believed to be Armed")

The Nac Mac Feegle are the most dangerous of the fairy races, particularly when drunk. They love drinking, fighting, and stealing, and will in fact steal anything that is not nailed down. If it is nailed down, they will steal the nails as well.

Nevertheless, those who have managed to get to know them and survive say that they are also amazingly loyal, strong, dogged, brave, and, in their own way, quite moral. (For example, they won’t steal from people who don’t have anything.)

The average Feegle man (Feegle women are rare—see later) is about six inches high, red haired, his skin turned blue with tattoos and the dye called woad, and, since you’re this close, he’s probably about to hit you.

He’ll wear a kilt made of any old material, ...

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

Terry Pratchett is a household name in England where the books in his satirical Discworld series for adults consistently hit the bestseller lists. Although not as well known in the USA, his books are becoming increasingly popular. The reviewers rate this for 12 years or older but our 10 year old son thought it hysterical and fell about laughing over it for a couple of days, even though he admits he didn't understand all of it!..continued

Full Review Members Only (151 words)

(Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).

Media Reviews

Booklist - Sally Estes
Gr. 6-10. The chase is part slapstick, part terror, and in the end, Tiffany herself sets things straight. Pratchett maintains the momentum of the first book, and fans will relish the further adventures of the big wee hag, as Tiffany is known to the Feegles.

Kirkus Reviews
By turns hilarious and achingly beautiful, this be just right. (Fiction. 12+)

Reader Reviews

Anonymous

A Hat Full of Sky is the perfect read-aloud book. The character’s voices are sensational. The pictsies scottish accent is hilarious, Miss Level speaks with two mouths and Death’s monotone is eerie. Just like telling a good joke you want to pass ...   Read More
COLIN

THIS BOOK KEPT YOU WANTING TO KEEP READING. VERRY ADDICTIVE.

COLIN AGE 12
Bindu

Hi I think this book is wonderfull Terry has out done himself this time as usuall he keeps u on edge i could not put this book down. One of the best things about this book its all the old people that u have read about before and u feel like u know ...   Read More
Jen
Hi! I think this book is wonderful. Terry has out-done himself this time, as usual. He keeps you on edge and I could not put this book down. *
One of the best things about this book is coming across all the familiar people whom you have read about ...   Read More

Write your own review!

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Beyond the Book



Terry Pratchett is regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, and has won numerous literary awards. His novels have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 33 languages.

To date there are about 35 books in the Discworld series, of which three (so far) are written for children. The first of these, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, won the Carnegie Medal.

He lives in England with his family.

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Read-Alikes

Read-Alikes Full readalike results are for members only

If you liked A Hat Full of Sky, try these:

  • The Twistrose Key jacket

    The Twistrose Key

    by Tone Almhjell

    Published 2014

    About this book

    Exhilarating suspense and unforgettable characters await the readers of this magical adventure, destined to become a classic.

  • The Grim Grotto jacket

    The Grim Grotto

    by Lemony Snicket

    Published 2004

    About this book

    More by this author

    In their desperate search for something lost, the Baudelaire children encounter new and terrible horrors, including mushrooms, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing. Ages 9+.

We have 4 read-alikes for A Hat Full of Sky, but non-members are limited to two results. To see the complete list of this book's read-alikes, you need to be a member.
More books by Terry Pratchett
Search read-alikes
How we choose read-alikes
Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: The Book of George
    The Book of George
    by Kate Greathead
    The premise of The Book of George, the witty, highly entertaining new novel from Kate Greathead, is ...
  • Book Jacket: The Sequel
    The Sequel
    by Jean Hanff Korelitz
    In Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Sequel, Anna Williams-Bonner, the wife of recently deceased author ...
  • Book Jacket: My Good Bright Wolf
    My Good Bright Wolf
    by Sarah Moss
    Sarah Moss has been afflicted with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa since her pre-teen years but...
  • Book Jacket
    Canoes
    by Maylis De Kerangal
    The short stories in Maylis de Kerangal's new collection, Canoes, translated from the French by ...

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Pony Confidential
    by Christina Lynch

    In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.

Who Said...

The dirtiest book of all is the expurgated book

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

X M T S

and be entered to win..