I'VE DONE IT! With How to Fight a Dragon's Fury, I have read every single thing this library owns in relation to How to Train Your Dragon (plus one book that the library doesn't own, but should--Hiccup the Seasick Viking).A brief overview of other HTTYD stories:
The Movies
The first one got me ADDICTED to Hiccup and Toothless and will forever be my favorite HTTYD story because of the amazing friendship developed in this film (along with a fun story, beautiful scenes, and music that I just can't get out of my head!). The second one... eh, not so much. Mostly because Drago is the most terribly typical villain you could ever imagine. And they revealed a super spoiler in the trailers that takes away all of the suspense of the best scene in the movie.
The Mini Movies
The Book of the Dragons was boring, The Legend of the Bone Knapper was so-so, I've only ever seen Dawn of the Dragon Racers once (if that tells you how good it was), and Gift of the Night Fury is my new annual Christmas movie.
The TV/Netflix Series
I enjoyed most of the episodes. They did a good job of keeping in line with the stories set up in the movies. WHY DIDN'T THEY USE ONE OF THE TV SERIES' VILLAINS FOR THE SECOND MOVIE?!?!
The Picture Books
All of the picture books were just repeats of either the television series or the second movie. The Day of the Dragon Egg and The Dragon that Rides on Lightening were just screen shots of the tv show. Toothless: A Dragon Hero's Story was a little better in that it had its own unique drawings, but the story was that of the second movie. A good way to get little kids into the franchise, I guess, but I would imagine most of them find the picture books because they watched the movie and want to see more of that world.
Beginning Reader
There's a beginning reader book?!?! Thank Thor I happened to see it while straightening up, or else I might have missed a HTTYD book! Like the picture books, How to Raise Three Dragons was just a rip off of the television show, but hopefully it'll help kids learn how to read.
The Novels
Found under J Cowell, these books have all of the feels. The first book is very different from the first movie, and to be perfectly honest, the first movie is probably better than the book. But as the series dives deeper into Hiccup's and Toothless' story, your brain explodes as you see how everything (and everyone) is connected. How to Fight a Dragon's Fury brings it all together in a for-warned depressing ending that still provides some hope as to the existence of dragons.
While definitely geared towards fifth and sixth grade boys with it's repetitiveness, funny pictures, and gross descriptions in an action packed plot, older reluctant readers will also enjoy it. Experienced readers may find the writing style lacking, but I feel that the story itself is strong enough to keep readers' attentions (especially if they make it into the second book, How to be a Pirate).
A couple things to note when selling this book: The novels and the movies are nothing a like. The only real similarities lie in the characters' names, and even at that, the characters' personalities are fairly different from page to screen. An example you can give is that Hiccup can actually speak to dragons in the book, and Toothless is often very rude when he responds back. Also probably important to mention is that Hiccup does not ride Toothless in the books since the dragon is about the size of the movie's Terrible Terrors.
Another nice thing to note is that the books don't have to be read in order until the eighth book. Yes, it's a little weird to tell a child that they don't have to read a series in order until they get to the end of the series, but I honestly believe Cressida Cowell didn't realize this story would grow so large. Luckily, if that really is the case, she is very good at BSing and pulling everything together!
Other dragon books that kids would like are the Eragon series by Christopher Paolini (I'm only on the second book right now, but it is pretty good for older kids) and The Last Dragon by Silvana DeMari (not as good as HTTYD or Eragon, but not bad). Never ever recommend Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. I couldn't even finish that book.
Other read-alikes according to Novelist are Viking It and Liking It by Jon Scieszka, Little Wolf by Ian Whybrow, and Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart. Novelist also recommends Dragon Rider, but like I said, I hated it!
