exercise 6.6 - is_palindrome

"""==========================

exercise 6.6

=========================="""

def first(word):

    return word[0]

def last(word):

    return word[-1]

    

def middle(word):

    return word[1:-1]

def is_palindrome (word):

    if not isinstance(word, str):

        print("strings only please")

        return False    

    if len(word) >= 3:

        if first(word) == last(word):

            return is_palindrome(middle(word))

        else:

            return False

    if len(word) < 3: # word must have at least 3 letters for middle () to work

        if first(word) == last(word):

            return True

        else:

            return False

    

print "juicy is a palindrome: ", str(is_palindrome("juicy"))

print "noon is a palindrome: ", str(is_palindrome("noon"))