"Gerald and the Wee People" tells the story of Gerald and his friend Vernon, two 16-year-old boys, who are summoned to help the wee people save their village from monsters. Gerald is known as the Watcher, as he alone has been able to observe the tiny villagers wander about their town for many years. But now the wee people are in danger and Gerald is the only one who can help.The boys finally manage to enter the diminutive village, only to be treated as invaders. They encounter many memorable characters, such as Dora (the healer), the other members of the Council of elders (Rachel, Jonathan, Brin, and the rambunctious Sean), Sheela (a magical far-seer), Alyson (a young firestarter), brothers Tomas and Cian, Balor (the leader of the misshapen ones), and Miach (the forest god). The boys take part in many interesting adventures in their quest to fulfill Sheela's prophecy and save the village from destruction.This book has a bit of everything: magic, monsters, battles, even an erupting volcano. There is even a scene reminiscent of "The Wizard of Oz", as well as an actual reference to the book later on when the boys are attempting to get back home. The book reinforces the values of friendship, cooperation, trust, and courage. It is especially suitable for boys aged 8 to 14, but girls and adults alike will also enjoy it. There were some minor editing problems, including the lack of punctuation, the lack of the use of contractions in speech, and the misuse of some words. Overall, however, it was well-written and easy to read. I look forward to sharing Gerald and Vernon's further adventures with the wee people in "House on Bo-Kay Lane".
