Book Review — How To Train Your Dragon

By Cressida Cowell

The first book in Cressida Cowell’s book series “How to Train Your Dragon” is truly a classic. It captures the life of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, and how he overcomes challenges to become a local hero by defeating and killing not one, but two giant sea dragons.

The story begins when Hiccup and other soon-to-be Vikings try and catch a few dragons. Hiccup, who is actually the heir to the throne, catches a tiny dragon, and is made fun of.

My favourite part of this book is when the Hooligan and Meathead tribes are dealing with the 2 sea dragons. There is chaos, but at least for a start, the Hooligans and Meatheads were warming up to each other and supporting each other. One quote from this section is when Thuggory the Meathead asks Hiccup what to do. This shows that the two tribes support each other.

This book teaches me quite a few things. One, to never give up, even when things seem the worst. This is supported by examples from the book, like how in many different places, Hiccup decided to work hard, instead of giving up. Two, it teaches me that anything is possible. Toothless and “useless” Hiccup kill 2 gigantic dragons, each about 50 times the size of a normal dragon. Lastly, it is fine to lose, only if you try your best. This is the most important reason of all. If you try your best but fail, it means that you are learning, and will succeed eventually.

Overall, “How to Train Your Dragon” is an amazing book. Unlike other adventure books, this book balances humor with real emotion, making it both entertaining and meaningful. It has an interesting plot and teaches the reader lots of things. It also hooks the reader. Therefore, I recommend this book for all ages.

Rating: 4.2 / 5