Wintersmith

First published on 26 September 2006 by Doubleday. It is the thirty-fifth Discworld novel and the third Tiffany Aching book.

The Wintersmith is an ancient elemental spirit — one of several personifications of the seasons that maintain the Disc's seasonal cycles through a ritual dance. He has no human qualities until Tiffany accidentally dances with him, which gives him a model to follow.

The novel draws on the tradition of elementals and seasonal spirits from European folklore — the concept that winter is personified, that the seasons must be 'performed' rather than just happening, and the danger of catching the attention of non-human beings.

Granny is deliberately distant in Wintersmith — she is allowing Tiffany to make and live with her mistakes rather than rescuing her. The novel is partly about the difference between mentoring and doing the work for someone.