Rebecca Recommends: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ by Cressida Cowell.

This is the story of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, a 12 year old Viking and our unlikely hero. Despite being the laughing stock of the village, Hiccup is set to one day take over the very silly Hairy Hooligan tribe from his father, Stoick the Vast. To stay in the tribe, Hiccup must prove himself and survive the ‘Dragon Initiation Programme’ or face expulsion, or more likely, death. Against some terrifying dragons and some rather scary odds, our clumsy but clever Hiccup goes against time-honoured traditions in order to become the legendary ‘Dragon Whisperer’ and the last of the great Viking heroes. This book is part of a fantasy adventure series, recommended for ages 8 and up.

It all begins with poor Hiccup caught up in a hazardous lesson in dragon catching. Led by the formidable Gobber the Belch, the group of boys (who are all too eager) must creep into the dragons’ cave and claim a dragon for their own or else face exile. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Hiccup must trust his instincts and his acquired dragon knowledge in order to survive, not only this challenge but the many challenges to come.

‘I was not the sort of boy who could train a dragon with the mere lifting of an eyebrow. I was not a natural at the Heroism business. I had to work at it. This is the story of becoming a Hero the Hard Way.’ – Hiccup. © Cressida Cowell (2003)

 I loved all the characters of the book, with the foolishly fearless Vikings, the cunning cat-like dragons and Hiccup (one of the few with any common sense) complementing each other to create great comedy. The story definitely keys in to the fact that humour can be found in everything going ridiculously wrong.    

© Cressida Cowell

The illustrations by the author are great scrawling scribbly ones, a style that almost creates a sense of animation and one that fits perfectly with portraying the loud gruff Hairy Hooligans, the blustering storms and the sly sneaky dragons. 

While the story is written in the third person, the prologue and epilogue are written by the ‘author’ Hiccup and add a wonderful illusion of reality to this fantastical tale. Despite the perilousness of his past and the warnings for the future, it’s of great comfort to hear an older Hiccup reflecting on the adventures of his youth. It is encouraging to know that this unlucky boy will one day be recognised as a legend among his people and that perhaps, with a little luck and bravery, it might be possible for anyone to be a hero too.

This is a book I would highly recommend. Cowell’s comedic characters and descriptive slapstick action coalesce into an enormously humorous and exhilarating read that will appeal to children and parents alike. (This book is only Hiccup’s first memoir. To discover his full story of his journey to becoming a Viking hero, check out the full series!*) 

Illustrated by Cressida Cowell. Hodder Children’s Books (2003)
For more information, please check out:
http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/
http://www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/

*The eleventh book, published this year, is ‘How to Betray a Dragon’s Hero.’ The twelfth, which is yet to be published, will be the last in the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ series.