The Complete How to Train Your Dragon Book Series
Cressida Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon is one of the most beloved children's book series of the 21st century, captivating millions of young readers with its imaginative world of Vikings, dragons, and adventure. While many people know the franchise through DreamWorks Animation's wildly successful film trilogy, the book series that inspired it all offers a distinctly different and equally enchanting experience. With 12 main novels published between 2003 and 2015, plus several companion books, the series follows the journey of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third from a scrawny, overlooked Viking boy to a legendary hero.
Understanding the correct reading order is important because the books tell a continuous story with an overarching narrative that builds across all 12 volumes. While each book contains its own standalone adventure, character development and plot threads carry through the entire series, and reading them out of order can spoil key revelations and diminish the emotional impact of later installments. This guide presents the complete reading order and a brief overview of each book to help you navigate the series.
Book 1: How to Train Your Dragon (2003)
The series begins with How to Train Your Dragon, which introduces us to Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, a young Viking of the Hairy Hooligan tribe who lives on the Isle of Berk in a world where dragons are common but dangerous creatures. Unlike the film adaptation, which portrays Hiccup as a clever inventor who befriends a rare Night Fury dragon, the book's Hiccup must capture and train a small, common dragon called a Common or Garden dragon as a rite of passage to become a member of his tribe.
Hiccup's dragon, whom he names Toothless, is not the sleek, powerful Night Fury of the movies but a small, stubborn, and rather ordinary dragon with a bad attitude. The book establishes the key themes of the series: that true heroism comes from intelligence, compassion, and perseverance rather than physical strength, and that the seemingly least remarkable individuals can achieve extraordinary things. The humor is distinctly British, filled with wit, wordplay, and Cowell's characteristic hand-drawn illustrations that bring the world to vivid life.
Book 2: How to Be a Pirate (2004)
The second installment, How to Be a Pirate, raises the stakes as Hiccup and his fellow Viking initiates undergo pirate training. The adventure centers around the discovery of a treasure map leading to the legendary treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly, the greatest pirate who ever lived and one of Hiccup's ancestors. The quest for the treasure takes Hiccup and his companions into dangerous underground caverns filled with dragon traps and ancient mysteries.
This book deepens the world-building of the series, introducing more Viking history and lore, expanding the dragon taxonomy with new species, and developing the relationship between Hiccup and his reluctant dragon companion Toothless. The themes of friendship, courage, and the importance of brains over brawn continue to develop, and we begin to see hints of the larger destiny that awaits Hiccup.
Book 3: How to Speak Dragonese (2005)
How to Speak Dragonese introduces the concept that dragons have their own language, Dragonese, which Hiccup has the rare ability to understand and speak. This unusual talent becomes central to the plot when Hiccup is captured by Roman soldiers who have invaded Viking waters and must use his linguistic abilities to escape and save his friends.
The book expands the geographical scope of the series beyond the Viking archipelago and introduces new antagonists in the form of the Romans, adding historical flavor to the fantasy setting. Cowell's characteristic humor shines through in the Dragonese language itself, which is rendered in a charming, playful way that delights young readers. The book also introduces important new characters who will play roles in subsequent volumes.
Book 4: How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse (2006)
The fourth book takes a more serious tone as Hiccup races against time to find a cure for his best friend Fishlegs, who has been stricken with Vorpentitis, a deadly disease caused by the bite of a Venomous Vorpent dragon. The quest takes Hiccup to the frozen wilderness beyond the boundaries of the known Viking world, where he must face dangerous dragons, harsh weather, and his own self-doubt.
How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse marks a turning point in the series, as the stories begin to take on greater emotional depth and the stakes become more personal. The friendship between Hiccup and Fishlegs is tested and strengthened, and readers begin to see the qualities of leadership emerging in Hiccup that will define his character in later books. The book also introduces the legendary artifact known as the Potato, which plays a humorous yet important role in the plot.
Books 5 through 8: The Middle Adventures
The middle section of the series continues to build on the foundation of the first four books while introducing increasingly complex plots and darker themes. Book 5, How to Twist a Dragon's Tale (2007), involves a volcanic threat to the Viking homeland and a dangerous fire dragon called the Exterminator. Book 6, A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons (2007), takes place in a vast underground library filled with dragon-related books and deadly guardians.
Book 7, How to Ride a Dragon's Storm (2008), is an epic ocean adventure featuring a quest across stormy seas, encounters with slave traders, and the discovery of new lands. Book 8, How to Break a Dragon's Heart (2009), introduces one of the series' most compelling antagonists, Alvin the Treacherous, in a more developed role, and features a poignant story about the lost city of Tomorrow and the tragic history of human-dragon relations on a remote island.
Throughout these middle volumes, Cowell gradually builds the mythology of her world, revealing ancient prophecies about a coming dragon rebellion, the existence of legendary dragon species, and the hints of a great conflict between humans and dragons that will define the series' final act. The writing matures along with its audience, tackling themes of prejudice, environmentalism, and the complexities of leadership.
Books 9 through 12: The Epic Conclusion
The final four books of the series escalate into a full-scale epic as the long-foreshadowed dragon rebellion finally erupts. Book 9, How to Steal a Dragon's Sword (2011), sees the beginning of the dragon uprising and introduces the terrifying Dragon Furious, an enormous Seadragon who leads the rebellion against humanity. The familiar world of the Viking archipelago is thrown into chaos as dragons turn against their human masters.
Book 10, How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel (2012), continues the war narrative as Hiccup, now an outcast and fugitive, must find the legendary Dragon Jewel to prove his identity and unite the warring Viking tribes against the dragon threat. The book features some of the series' most intense action sequences and emotional moments, as characters face life-threatening danger and impossible choices.
Book 11, How to Betray a Dragon's Hero (2013), deepens the conflict and raises the stakes further as betrayals, alliances, and revelations reshape the landscape of the war. The penultimate volume sets the stage for the grand finale, leaving several plot threads tantalizingly unresolved and the fate of Hiccup and the Viking world hanging in the balance.
Book 12, How to Fight a Dragon's Fury (2015), brings the series to a powerful and emotionally satisfying conclusion. The final battle between humans and dragons reaches its climax, and Hiccup must draw on everything he has learned throughout his journey to find a way to save both species from mutual destruction. The ending is both triumphant and bittersweet, honoring the series' themes of compassion, understanding, and the possibility of peace between seemingly irreconcilable enemies.
Companion Books and Additional Reading
In addition to the 12 main novels, Cressida Cowell has published several companion books that expand the world of the series. The Incomplete Book of Dragons is an illustrated field guide to the dragon species found in the series, complete with Hiccup's hand-drawn illustrations and notes. It's a wonderful reference companion for readers who want to learn more about the diverse and imaginative dragon species Cowell has created.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Day of the Dreader is a World Book Day special that fits chronologically between the early books in the series. The How to Train Your Dragon Handbook and other promotional materials provide additional context and activities for young fans. While these companion books are not essential to understanding the main series, they enrich the reading experience and provide additional content for devoted fans.
Books vs. Films: Key Differences
It's worth noting that the DreamWorks Animation films, while inspired by the books, tell a substantially different story. The film versions reimagine nearly every aspect of the source material, from character designs and personalities to plot structure and thematic focus. In the books, Toothless is a small, common dragon rather than the rare, powerful Night Fury of the films. Astrid, a major character in the movies, doesn't appear in the books. The villain Alvin the Treacherous is a central figure in the books but only appears in the television series. The tone of the books is more humorous and British in character, while the films adopt a more cinematic, American animated adventure style.
Both versions have their own merits, and fans of the films who discover the books (or vice versa) are often pleasantly surprised to find essentially two different takes on the same basic premise. Reading the books after watching the films provides a fresh experience rather than a retread, which is a significant advantage for the series' continued appeal.
In conclusion, the How to Train Your Dragon book series consists of 12 main novels that should be read in publication order, from How to Train Your Dragon (2003) through How to Fight a Dragon's Fury (2015). The series offers a rich, humorous, and ultimately moving adventure that rewards committed readers with one of the most satisfying story arcs in contemporary children's literature. Whether you're a young reader discovering the series for the first time or an adult looking for a captivating read-aloud experience, Cressida Cowell's Viking world of dragons and heroes has something magical to offer everyone.
