How to Train Your Dragon — by Cressida Cowell

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  How to Train Your Dragon
  

  • May-2004
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  Book - 1
  

  GRONCKLE-- COLOR: A disgusting combination of green, beige, and brown NASTY BITS: Razor-sharp teeth and spikes THREAT TO VIKINGS: Minimal, if you have two legs Brutish, stupid, and altogether quite ugly, this fellow is slow and often too fat to fly. ...

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  How to Be a Pirate
  

  • May-2005
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  Book - 2
  

  SKULLION COLOR: Black and purple NASTY BITS: Vicious teeth and claws THREAT TO VIKINGS: Watch out or it will eat you! The savage Skullion can't see, hear, or fly, but its keen sense of smell can easily sniff out a Viking snack. And it's not a daint...

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  How to Speak Dragonese
  

  • May-2006
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  Book - 3
  

  THE VENOMOUS VORPENT COLOR: Bright yellow NASTY BITS: Deadly sting THREAT TO VIKINGS: Serious. Run away! Don't be deceived by the Venomous Vorpent's tiny size. It numbs the the skin before attacking. By the time you realize you've been stung, it ma...

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  How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse
  

  • Apr-2007
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  Book - 4
  

  Reluctant hero Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III must rescue his best friend, Fishlegs, from the deadly disease Vorpentitis. The only cure is rare and almost impossible to find ... a potato. But where will Hiccup find such a thing? He'll have to dodge th...

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  How to Twist a Dragon's Tale
  

  • May-2008
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  Book - 5
  

  FIRE-DRAGON COLOR: Red and gold NASTY BITS: Flaming scales THREAT TO VIKINGS: Unknown, but severe burns are likely. Impossibly huge and seemingly made of fire, the extremely rare Fire-Dragon is rumored to live inside Volcanoes. The heat is on fo...

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  A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons
  

  • Aug-2009
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  Book - 6
  

  It's Hiccup's birthday, but that's not going to keep him from getting into trouble. To save his dragon, Toothless, from being banished, Hiccup must sneak into the Meathead Public Library and steal the Vikings' most sacred book. But the Vikings see b...

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  How to Ride a Dragon's Storm
  

  • Jul-2010
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  Book - 7
  

  It's Hiccup's birthday, but that's not going to keep him from getting into trouble. To save his dragon, Toothless, from being banished, Hiccup must sneak into the Meathead Public Library and steal the Viking's most sacred book. But the Vikings see bo...

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  How to Break a Dragon's Heart
  

  • Nov-2011
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  Book - 8
  

  Stranded on the exceptionally dangerous, and possibly haunted, Beach of the Broken Heart, Hiccup must face Ug the Uglithug and complete the Impossible Task--or die trying. Along the way, he'll have to battle Berserks, dodge Scarers, and save Fishlegs...

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  How to Steal a Dragon's Sword
  

  • Jul-2012
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  Book - 9
  

  RIPROARERS COLOR: Greenish NASTY BITS: Knife-sharp talons, stinky breath, and a mouth full of sharp teeth THREAT TO VIKINGS: Slobbering, stinking Riproarers hide out in very small spaces in very dark caves and pounce upon their victims in swarm...

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  How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel
  

  • May-2013
  • 

  Book - 10
  

  The Dragon Rebellion has begun, bringing the Vikings' darkest hour upon them. Hiccup has become an outcast, but that won't stop him from going on the most harrowing and important quest of his life. He must find the Dragon's Jewel in order to save his...

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  How to Betray a Dragon's Hero
  

  • Dec-2013
  • 

  Book - 11
  

  In Hiccup the Viking's misadventures, the stakes have never been higher, and it's friend versus foe to decide the fate of the world. In this, the penultimate title in the amazing story arc that began with How to Train Your Dragon, Hiccup is faced wit...

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  How to Fight a Dragon's Fury
  

  • Nov-2015
  • 

  Book - 12
  

  Book 12 is the epic finale to the New York Times bestselling How to Train Your Dragon series! The Doomsday of Yule has arrived, and the future of dragonkind lies in the hands of one boy with nothing to show, but everything to fight for. Hiccup's ques...

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  The Complete World of Dragons: A Guide to Dragon Species
  

  • May-2014
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  This guide is a must-have for fans of the New York Times bestselling How to Train Your Dragon series that inspired the hit move and TV show. This gift book features all of the dragon species from the series plus brand-new ones created just for this b...

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  How to Train Your Dragon: A Journal for Heroes
  

  • Nov-2015
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  This companion to the New York Times bestselling How to Train Your Dragon series is a must-have for all heroes! Within this journal, you'll find brave quotes from Viking hero and dragon-whisperer Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, rousing Viking songs, a...

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Series Premise

The How to Train Your Dragon series follows Hiccup, a small and clever Viking boy, as he challenges his tribe’s traditions by befriending and training dragons. Each book centers on a new adventure involving dragon conflicts, tribal politics, and ancient mysteries while Hiccup grows from an unlikely hero into a leader.

How to Train Your Dragon Series Reading Order

Publication order gives the best experience for the How to Train Your Dragon series. Each book has a complete central plot with its own adventure and resolution, but character relationships, Hiccup’s personal growth, and the larger story of Vikings and dragons carry across the volumes. Readers who begin later in the series will understand the main events yet miss the deepening bond between Hiccup and Toothless, evolving friendships, and context for ongoing developments in Berk.

Explanation of reading order types

How to Train Your Dragon Series Characters

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is the inventive and thoughtful central protagonist who becomes a dragon trainer and leader. His dragon Toothless serves as his loyal and mischievous companion, while friends like Fishlegs and Astrid, along with his father Stoick the Vast, form the core recurring cast.

Setting of the How to Train Your Dragon Series

The series is set primarily on the Viking island of Berk and its surrounding seas, featuring dragon-filled skies, rocky cliffs, and hidden caves. Stories expand to distant islands and ancient dragon territories as the characters explore beyond their home waters.

Tone & Themes of the How to Train Your Dragon Series

The tone mixes humor, adventure, and heart with clever wordplay and action. Central themes include courage in being different, friendship across differences, challenging tradition, and finding peaceful solutions in a world built on conflict.

Is the How to Train Your Dragon Series Worth Reading?

This series appeals to children ages 8–12 who enjoy humorous fantasy, dragon stories, and young heroes who rely on brains over brawn. It suits readers who want illustrated chapter books with excitement, heart, and Viking-inspired fun.

Content Warnings and Heat Level

Mild fantasy peril and dragon battles; light-hearted humor with no strong language or romance; appropriate for middle-grade readers.

The How to Train Your Dragon series builds a rich world of Vikings and dragons through Hiccup’s continuing journey. Its structure rewards sequential reading while delivering satisfying individual adventures. The combination of humor, friendship, and growing heroism makes it a standout middle-grade fantasy series.