Authors: Cressida Cowell
ISBN-13: 9780316085274, ISBN-10: 0316085278
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Date Published: February 2010
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Cressida Cowell lives in London. She is the author of several picture books including: What Shall We Do With the Boo Hoo Baby?, Little Bo Peep's Library Book and Don't Do That, Kitty Killroy!
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly extraordinary Viking hero known throughout Vikingdom as "the Dragon Whisperer" ... but it wasn't always so. Travel back to the days when the mighty warrior was just a boy, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Can Hiccup capture a dragon and train it without being torn limb from limb? Join the adventure as the small boy finds a better way to train his dragon and becomes a hero!
In this riotous paper-over-board farce, the timid protagonist from Cowell's picture book Hiccup: The Seasick Viking proves himself worthy of the sobriquet "Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans." The protagonist is also given author credit (as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III), with Cowell billed as translator "from the Old Norse." Indeed, "Hiccup" contributes an introductory note: "I was not the sort of boy who could train a dragon with a 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." From his initial challenge-Hiccup and his fellow warriors-in-training must each pluck a dragon from a "Dragon Nursery" where 3,000 young critters are hibernating-the likable lad faces a host of hurdles and beats tremendous odds to emerge triumphant. After selecting a tiny, toothless dragon ("I shall call [my dragon] Fireworm," says nemesis Snotface Snotlout. "What are you going to call yours, Hiccup? Sweetums? Sugarlips? Babyface?"). Hiccup tackles the chore of training the stubborn creature, which leads to some fresh, funny dialogue between the two (Hiccup has the rare ability to speak "Dragonese"). A rollicking finale finds the duo rescuing Vikings from a ravenous, mountain-size dragon. Short chapters, clever slapstick, kid-pleasing character names (e.g., Fishlegs, Dogsbreath the Duhbrain) and goofy, childlike drawings will keep even reluctant readers turning these pages-and chuckling as they go. Ages 8-12. (May) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
A Note from the Author | 1 | |
1. | First Catch Your Dragon | 2 |
2. | Inside the Dragon Nursery | 14 |
3. | Heroes or Exiles | 31 |
4. | How to Train Your Dragon | 46 |
5. | A Chat with Old Wrinkly | 61 |
6. | Meanwhile, Deep in the Ocean | 67 |
7. | Toothless Wakes Up | 69 |
8. | Training Your Dragon the Hard Way | 81 |
9. | Fear, Vanity, Revenge, and Silly Jokes | 89 |
10. | Thor'sday Thursday | 103 |
11. | Thor Is Angry | 127 |
12. | The Green Death | 145 |
13. | When Yelling Doesn't Work | 156 |
14. | The Fiendishly Clever Plan | 166 |
15. | The Battle at Death's Head Headland | 177 |
16. | The Fiendishly Clever Plan Goes Wrong | 182 |
17. | In the Mouth of the Dragon | 186 |
18. | The Extraordinary Bravery of Toothless | 190 |
19. | Hiccup the Useful | 200 |
Epilogue by the Author | 211 |