Wednesday, November 3, 2010

How to Break a Dragon's Heart

How to Break a Dragon's Heart by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.  Translated from Old Norse by Cressida Cowell

This is the eighth book in the Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III series.

  Our adventure with Hiccup all began when I found a little book called How To Train Your Dragon and read it aloud to my son when he was around 6 or 7.  Since then we have become addicted to Hiccup and his crazy adventurous friends, Fishlegs and Camicazi. My favorite character is probably Toothless, a tiny little dragon who fits in Hiccup's shirt pocket and is a little stinker.    Toothless does the funniest things that make us laugh, like swallowing a magnet or pooping on Hiccup's father (Stoick the Vast's) bed.

I am not sure if this book has been released in the U.S. yet as Max and I can't wait long enough for it to arrive and always order the books from the United Kingdom as soon as they are available.  If you haven't heard of the Hiccup series than you are in for a rollicking adventure through the archipelago complete with man eating dragons and crazy fun characters.

How to Break a Dragon's Heart begins when Hiccup's friend Camacazi has disappeared and the Hooligan tribe were looking for her when they stumbled into Uglithug territory, dangerous ground for Vikings.   They landed on the haunted Beach of the Broken Heart where their boat sinks and they find a enormous throne.   Stoick the Vast exclaims "THUNDERING THIGHS AND GINGERY WHISKERS AND LITTLE TWIRLY BITS OF THE GREAT GOD THOR!"  pg 34 for now they would have to spend the night on the haunted island.  In the middle of the night, Ug the Uglithug shows up, and demands to know who is sending his lovely daughter Tantrum O'Ugerly love letters from the Hooligan Tribe.  Ug is threatening to kill every unmarried man in the tribe.

Oh what fun and unbelievable antics ensue as Hiccup tries to find Camacazi, save Fishlegs from being fed to enormous beast along with at least 10 other fiances, while being locked in a cage with a tiny little dragon who swallowed a mass of non-edibles.  It is hilarious and the pictures are brilliant.  Every boy I know under the age of 14 will love this book and the Hiccup series.

My son loves the Dragonese especially if done in a baby voice imitating the tiny dragon Toothless.  Here is an example of dragonese:
Toothless:  Me coglet ta cack-cack indi hovel,  Toothless, summa, yarra ista?
Hiccup's translation:  Toothless, I know you've done a poo in this room, now where is it?

Dear Cressida Cowell,  We want to know, can you write any faster?

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