49 pages • 1 hour read
How to Train Your Dragon
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
How to Train Your Dragon (2003) is a middle grade fantasy novel by British author Cressida Cowell. In 2010, DreamWorks adapted the book into an animated movie that later expanded into a film and television franchise. The titular novel is the first in the 12-book series, which centers on the coming-of-age adventures of 10-year-old Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and his dragon, Toothless. In the premier story, Cowell employs the hero’s journey structure to frame Hiccup’s evolution from a Hairy Hooligan Novice into Hiccup the Useful, the tribe’s brave young savior. The series explores themes of friendship, courage, self-discovery, and unexpected triumph.
The animated films, though based on Cowell’s novels, deviate from the original story to offer audiences heightened drama and an action-propelled narrative. Some key differences among the novels and films include an antagonism between the Viking tribes and the dragons; permanent injuries to both Hiccup and Toothless; Toothless’s size, color, and dragon breed; the character of Astrid, Hiccup’s rival turned love interest; and Hiccup’s role as a “dragon whisperer.”
Cowell, though born in London, spent her childhood holidays on a remote, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland. She imagined that Unlock all 49 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
