From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5Π²ΠβThe misfit hero of How to Be a Pirate (Little, Brown, 2005) returns in another Viking tall tale. Chief's son Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, his friend Fishlegs, and his cranky dragon, Toothless, get separated from their class during Boarding-An-Enemy-Ship practice. The peaceful fishing boat they are supposed to attack turns out to be a prowling Roman galley, crewed by some of the Empire's least-distinguished legions. The invaders are plotting to provoke war among the Viking factions by kidnapping the heirs of Hiccup's own Happy Hooligans and the Amazonian Bog-Burglar tribe. Then, while the locals are occupied, the Romans plan to make off with the entire dragon population of the islands. With the help of Bog-Burglar girl warrior Camicazi and the bumblebee-sized dragon Ziggerastica, the boys must find a way to counter the treacherous plan before they all end up facing combat to the death in the local arena. There is a lot of raucous humor and mock-heroic dialogue; ridiculous names add to the fun. The theme of brains over brawn is well defined. Warriors, Roman and Viking alike, are loud-mouthed, bullying braggarts, easy targets for clever, scrawny Hiccup. The sketchy, childlike black-and-white cartoon drawings are amusing but occasionally indistinct. Jon Scieszka's Time Warp Trio books (Viking), for slightly younger readers, have a sharper, more literate sense of twisted history, but the broad humor of Hiccup's misadventures will appeal to reluctant readers.Π²ΠβElaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
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Review
'If you haven't discovered Hiccup yet, you're missing out on one of the greatest inventions of modern children's literature.' -- Julia Eccleshare, Guardian children's editor 'Irresistably funny, exciting and endearing' -- Amanda Craig, The Times 20051112 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON:CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK: 'This book is great fun and has a Blackadderish sense of humour ... full of the sort of jokes that will make schoolboys snigger.' -- Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times 20030309 A super story, inventive, ingenious, perpetually surprising. One to cherish. -- Armadillo, Spring 2003 20030309 A wonderfully wittily written and illustrated story. -- Waterstones Quarterly Magazine 20030401 How to Train Your Dragon is a delightful narrative caper... It offers a challenging read to 11-year-olds, and rewards reading aloud, especially for those who relish an element of theatre at story time. -- Lindsey Fraser, Sunday Herald, Glasgow 20030406 ... raucous and slapstick... liberally illustrated with [Cressida Cowell's] riotous drawings, notes and maps. -- The Financial Times 20030405 [Cressida Cowell] puts a contemporary spin on the old brains over brawn moral and brings the story to a climax with a thrilling dragon duel. Lots for lots of different readers to enjoy. -- Books for Keeps 20030501 Cowell brings Hiccup to life in this silly and delightful little novel. -- St Paul Pioneer Press 20050108 Bulging with good jokes, funny drawings and dramatic scenes, it is absolutely wonderful. -- Independent on Sunday 20030622 'hilarious' -- www.writeaway.org 20030622 'funny and well writen' -- Cheri Lloyd 20030622 'another fiendishly funny catalogue of disaster' -- Pet O'Connell 20030622