introducing discworld

[cols]

hi guys! i recently read maurice and his amazing educated rodents to my daughter, she's an avid reader with normally a few books on the go but we always have one that i read to her at night. i'd bought maurice for her to read herself originally but she couldn't grasp the humour at first
then after a trip to london with her aunt she returned with Nation.(i thought this was for me but no) she's enjoying it but finds it's not as humours as she thought it would be
i'd like to give her some DW books to read, ones for all readers but i'm not sure which one i should start with. i started with Mort when i was a little older then her.
she's 12 by the way. any suggestions?

[The_Discworldaholic]

Hi Cols thats a real hard one, due to her age and understanding Pterrys humor i would have said start at the begining The colour of magic and then read in published order, that way her comprehension of the Discworld will grow as the books have grown, best advice i can offer im afraid.

[Tiffany]

Deffinately the Tiffany series, Wee Free Men is the first & it was written for older children, Cols, or Equal Rites, I think that one is the most girly out of Terry's early books.
Only you know if she is a 'grown up' 12 & likes books where the girl is the Heroine.

PS Nation had me crying in places

[Jan Van Quirm]

All good suggestions and in some ways it doesn't really matter as PTerry's books are all stand alone in a way - but with the 'serial' books probably best to start with the 'lead-ins'.

Starting at the very beginning works but on several re-readings now I find the 1st three (Colour of Magic; Light Fantastic & Equal Rites) very different in tone to the rest of the Discworld genre - slightly darker and not quite so 'generously' satirical...? Sourcery onwards they kind of start to get into gear with the humour and intelligence we all love.

12 year olds being generally quite sophisticated these days perhaps it's best to go with her preferences and -

if she likes Witches then go with Equal Rites or Wyrd Sisters (on the basis that WS is actually a more proper introduction as it's the first of the coven series proper)

Cops? - Guards! Guards! of course!

Death - Mort

The Time Monks - Small Gods - but I would say that wouldn't I!

Nice little doggies...? - Moving Pictures

Igors (to please Chris ) - Carpe Jugulum

Yikes - use a pin or do eeny miney?

[Dotsie]

Deffinately the Tiffany series, Wee Free Men is the first & it was written for older children, Cols, or Equal Rites, I think that one is the most girly out of Terry's early books.
Only you know if she is a 'grown up' 12 & likes books where the girl is the Heroine.

What she said

[chris.ph]

i havent really noticed that terrys books r girlie, more like werewolfie, dragonie,funny,dwarfieand trollie forgot witchie and vampirie could go on but back to the lager(can u tell)

[Tiffany]

I'd say the ones I mentioned are, Chris Though I really meant with a girl heroine rather than a male, Wizzard, Troll, Dwarf, Watchman, or whatever. Though with Dwarfs it's difficult to tell I believe.
Plus Monstrous Regiment, which is also very funny, but not, I think, a good book for a young girl to read, not at 12 years of age anyway.

[cols]

thanks for the feed back guys.
I haven't read the Tiffany books myself but I read the synopsis yesterday and they do seem like the perfect choice.(plus it means more DW for me to read )I'm going to go with The Wee Free Men.I think she'll like it and the fact that there's more Tiffany books is also a plus I think, as I've been running out of book ideas for a while!
Thanks again!!

[Tonyblack]

Hi cols - I just finished rereading Wee Free Men and it's a real treat. I'm sure your daughter will love it. But Terry doesn't 'write down' to children, so his books can equally be read and enjoyed by adults.

As far as the main Discworld books go - I've known children to read and enjoy them - they may not have understood some of the references, but they'll certainly be able to follow the story. And rereading Terry's books always reveals more - whatever your age.

[cols]

Ordered Wee Free Men today, so it should be in the shop by Tuesday!!
.
Now I'm thinking I should probably read it first, really I've got no self control I'll probably read it in the car outside the book shop!

[Tiffany]

Yes Cols, you must read it first. I loved it.
I also have the audio C.D. Abridged & read by Tony Robinson, but despite that, I enjoyed listening to it.

[cols]

Just want to say thanx again Tiffany for suggesting WEE FREE MEN . It was a great success. ! Another Pratchett nerd is born...soon we'll be fighting over books!!

[Tiffany]

You are very welcome.
Next one in the series is A Hat Full Of Sky, Cols

[cols]

Thanks Tiffany - She's almost finished this(Hat full..) so I've ordered Wintersmith.She reckons she hasn't enjoyed an author this much since Roald Dahl who's her absolute favourite. I'm gageing her enjoyment by the fact that she resisted putting the book down to read 'Boy' by Dahl which I picked up ladt week for 50cents.

[Tiffany]

I am hoping Sir Terry will write another Tiffany book, Cols. I'd love to know what happens to her after Wintersmith.