Book Thirty-Nine: How to Train Your Dragon Book 2: How to Be a Pirate

Our intrepid young Viking is back!  Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is not that heroic by Viking standards; however, Hiccup is heir to the Hooligan clan being the son of the chief.  In school, Hiccup struggles in skills like shouting, senseless violence, and advanced rudery.  If Hiccup is skilled in anything, it's the 'try, try, again' method.  His cleverness and ability to speak his up when adults are about to engage in stupidity shows Hiccup might just be chief material.

In the second book, we find Hiccup and his best mate, Fishlegs learning sword-fighting at sea with hilarious results.  While at sea, the Hooligan gang comes across Hiccup's famed ancestor's, Grimbead the Ghastly, coffin.  As an reader of the first book can imagine, misadventures ensue!  As you can imagine, dear reader, this is another recommendation from my Sweet Niece.

Author Cressida Crowell clearly understands her audience.  Amid the pages are pencil illustrations and written notes that are terrible (in a good way) but guaranteed to make children laugh.  She has wonderful character development, not only for Hiccup, but for his dragon Toothless, his best mate Fishlegs and all the players that make up the Hooligan clan.  Friend or foe, Crowell creates a world that children can relate to.  She takes it a step further by not writing down to the reader.  Must like Hiccup, she cleverly disguises life lessons in the adventures of the Hooligan clan. 

As I see it, the How to Train Your Dragon series, would not be my first choice for a young reader; however, I am pleased as punch to know that quality writing is still available for a new generation.  I often wonder what's going on in that growing brain of hers.  I am pleased that tales of virtue, heroism, and good can be found--even if they are cloaked in tales of Viking hooliganism.