How to Train Your Dragon

Guided Reading Questions and

Map 'A NoteActivities
From Hiccup' and Chapter 1: First Catch Your Dragon

AF2
1. Who is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the
Third?
2. On which island would you find Black Heart
Bay?
3. Which word on p.15 means ridiculously?
4. Why is Hiccup writing this story?
5. What does ‘cacophony’ p.2 mean?
Challenge: Draw a special viking badge that the
boys on the Dragon Initiation Programme could
wear.
AF4/5
1. Why does the author repeat the word
‘bleak’ on p.16?
2. What does the name ‘Gobber the Belch’
tell us about this character?
3. What does ‘the first and most dangerous
part is a test of your courage and skill at
burglary’ tell us about Vikings?
4. What does the simile ‘run like thunder’
p.22 tell us about the Viking boys?
Challenge: Go through the chapter and pick
out all of the adjectives and adverbs that
describe the vikings.
AF3
1. Who is telling us the story?
2. How does the author explain that today we
have no evidence of dragons ever existing?
3. Why is Hiccup having to steal a dragon?
4. Why is Hiccup’s reaction to the ‘death or
glory!’ chant so important?
Challenge: Draw a picture of Hiccup at the
end of this chapter and add a thought bubble.
What must he be thinking?
AF6
1. What can you tell about Vikings from this
chapter?
Challenge: Write a letter to Gobber the Belch to
ask him if you could be on the Dragon
Initiation Programme.
 Chapter 2: Inside the Dragon Nursery
AF2
1. Why did people never see Hiccup’s hair?
2. Which word on p.31 means dangerous?
3. What do dragons smell like?
4. Who is Loki?
Challenge: Design a banner that states:
DEATH OR GLORY. Decorate this to fit with
the vikings' style.
AF4/5
1. What does ‘not your natural Viking Hero’
p28 mean about Hiccup?
2. Being frightened is not the same as being
a coward. What does the author mean by
this?
3. Gronkle has ‘fangs like kitchen knives’.
What does this tell us about the dragon?
Challenge: Draw Gronkle.
AF3
1. Why does Hiccup not want to think about
the deer at Wild Dragon Cliff?
2. Why did the boys want a cold dragon?
3. How did Fishlegs put everyone in danger?
4. What ideas are given about Hiccups's
bravery? Challenge: Imagine there was a real
dragon nursery. What would it look like?
What kind of toys would the babies play
with? What would they eat?
AF6
1. Why has the author already told us that
Hiccup is the Hero of the story?
Challenge: Design a perfect dragon
basket.Add
some modern and hi-tech features. Label your
drawing.
 Chapter 3: Heroes or Exiles
AF2
1. What is a gorge?
2. Which word on p.46 means ‘speed’?
3. Describe the island of Berk.
4. Who does the dragon in the basket belong
to? Challenge: Write a book review for the copy
of ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ by Professor
Yobbish (not Cressida Cowell).
AF4/5
1. Why did the author use the adverb
‘painfully’ to describe how slow the boys
walked on p.45?
2. What does the author mean when she
writes, ‘this made the rest of the dragons
think a bit’ p.46?
3. Why is Hiccup under a lot of pressure to be
a brave Hero?
Challenge: Imagine you had been on holiday to
Berk island. Send a postcard home to your
family.
AF3
1. Why was Hiccup stumbling as he ran on
p.47?
2. What words and phrases tell us that Gobber
was worried about the boys?
3. What does ‘heroes or exile’ mean?
4. Why are the Hiccup and Fishlegs surprised
that they have caught a dragon?
Challenge: Write the ‘blurb’ for ‘How To Train
Your Dragon’ by Professor Yobbish (not
Cressida Cowell).
AF6
1. What can you tell about Hiccup and
Fishlegs’ friendship?
Challenge: Write in your journal about what you
think will happen to Hiccup in this story and
predict how you think the story might end.
 Chapter 4: How to Train Your Dragon
AF2
1. What shock did the boys have when Hiccup’s
dragon opened its mouth to yawn?
2. What does ‘solemn’ p.63 mean?
3. What is the name of the sport that the
Vikings play?
4. Describe the appearance of ‘How To Train
Your Dragon’ by Professor Yobbish.
Challenge: Compare Snotlout and Hiccup.
What are the similarities and differences
between the two boys?
AF4/5
1. Why are names like Sweetums, Sugarlips
and Babyface suggested by Snotlout?
2. ‘My day just gets better and better’ says
Hiccup on p.63. What does he mean by
this?
Challenge: Go back through this chapter and
collect all of the adjectives describing Snotlout.
AF3
1. Why did Hiccup try to walk through the
gates without being noticed?
2. Why does Fishlegs defend Hiccup in front of
Snotlout?
3. Why is it important that Hiccup challenges
Snotlout?
4. How does Hiccup react to reading ‘How To
Train Your Dragon’?
Challenge: If the answer to a question was ‘The
Vikings’, what could the question be? Think of
three questions.
AF6
1. Why was a picture of ‘How To Train
Your Dragon’ included by the author?
2. Why was ‘How To Train Your Dragon’
the name of a book in this book, called
‘How To Train Your Dragon’?
Challenge: Snoutlout is a bully. True or false?
Give reasons for your answer.
 Chapter 5: A Chat with Old Wrinkly
AF2
1. What is Hiccup’s mother called?
2. What has Hiccup got to do by Thor’sday
Thursday?
3. What happened when Old Wrinkly accused
Hiccup of talking to dragons?
4. Find a word on p.80 that means the same as
‘other’.
Challenge: Collect all the adverbs ending in –
ly from this chapter.
AF4/5
1. What does the word ‘shovelling’ suggest
about Stoick the Vast at breakfast time?
2. Why does the author describe the sea as
being ‘as flat as glass’ p.75?
3. How does this chapter help you to
understand more about Hiccup?
Challenge: Design an invitation for spectators
at Thor’sday Thursday. Think about the kind of
events they might be able to watch.
AF3
1. Why did Old Wrinkly ‘hurriedly turn the
laugh into a cough’ p.76?
2. Do the Vikings in this story play sports?
3. What ideas are we given about Hiccup’s
leadership skills?
4. Why is Old Wrinkly an important character?
Challenge: Draw a thought bubble for Hiccup at
the end of this chapter. What plans can he
think of to train his dragon?
AF6
1. What can you tell about the author’s
opinion on Professor Yobbish’s book?
Challenge: Write a book review of Professor
Yobbish’s book.
 Chapter 6: Meanwhile Deep in the Ocean...
AF2
1. What does ‘suspended’ mean?
2. How many years are there in a century?
3. Can ‘stirred’ have more than one meaning?
4. Which words and phrases told you that
something was changing in the sea?
Challenge: Write three newspaper
headlines declaring sightings of
the Sea Dragon.
AF4/5
1. Why did the author compare the dragon to
a mountain?
2. How has the choice of words and phrases
emphasised how enormous the dragon is?
3. What does the phrase ‘underwater desert’
p.82 tell us about what is happening?
Challenge: Find out what hermit crabs and
barnacles are: what do they look like, what do
they eat and where do they live?
AF3
1. What does ‘not a mollusc stirred, not a
scallop shimmied’ suggest about the Sea
Dragon on p.82?
2. What do the words ‘jerking’ and ‘fluttering’
describe about the dragon now?
3. Why are the changes in the Sea Dragon
important? Challenge: Design a noticeboard
with a warning for sailors, swimmers and
fishermen of the lurking Sea Dragon.
AF6
1. Was this chapter trying to build tension?
Challenge: Draw the Sea Dragon described at
the beginning of the chapter.
 Chapter 7: Toothless Wakes Up
AF2
1. What does ‘plume’ mean?
2. Which language does Toothless speak?
3. What do dragons do when they are scared or
angry?
4. Why do Vikings stay cold at night?
Challenge: Write ‘A Beginner’s Guide to
Dragons’. Use all of the new information you
have learned about handling dragons in this
chapter.
AF4/5
1. Explain what ‘Just talking to it?????’ p.85
implies about talking to dragons.
2. How does Hiccup’s understanding of
Dragonese show us more about what type
of person he is?
3. What do words such as ‘contentedly’ p.94
tell you about the growing relationship
between Hiccup and Toothless?
Challenge: Dragons are dangerous
creatures. True or false?
AF3
1. Why did Toothless bite Hiccup on the arm?
2. How does Toothless feel about Stoick’s
dragons?
3. Which words tell us that Stoick’s dragons
mean Toothless harm?
4. What ideas are we given about how clever
Fishlegs is?
Challenge: ‘Dragon for Sale’ – advertise
Toothless, using persuasive language.
AF6
1. What can you tell about Hiccup’s feelings
towards Toothless?
Challenge: Who is the odd one out? Stoick,
Hiccup or Fishlegs? Explain your answer.
 Chapter 8: Training Your Dragon the Hard Way
AF2
1. What type of yelling did Hiccup try on
Toothless?
2. Why does Hiccup start being so nice to
Toothless?
3. Which word on p.96 means very wet?
4. Which phrase on p.100 means that Hiccup is
really fed up of Toothless’s behaviour?
Challenge: So far in the story, who is your
least favourite character? Explain why.
AF4/5
1. Why does the author compare Toothless to
a crocodile and a shark?
2. What do words like ‘saunter’, ‘swagger’ and
‘sneer’ imply about Snotlout and
Dogsbreath?
3. What ideas are we given about what the
Vikings expect Hiccup to do?
Challenge: Design a game about dragon
training. Think about what the aim of the game
is, how to make this tricky for the player and
how to help them win.
AF3
1. What ideas are we given about dragons?
2. What does Fishlegs think of Hiccup’s dragon
training style?
3. What do Dogsbreath and Snotlout think of
Hiccup and Fishlegs’s dragons?
4. How does Toothless react to Dogsbreath and
Snotlout?
Challenge: Write to Hiccup to give him some
advice on dragon training.
AF6
1. Was this chapter trying to make the reader
feel sorry for Hiccup?
Challenge: Draw a picture of Hiccup wearing
an
outfit to dragon train in. Label the picture
and explain the features of the clothing.
 Chapter 9: Fear, Vanity, Revenge and Silly Jokes
AF2
1. What does ‘gracefully’ p.104 mean?
2. What happened when Hiccup shouted ‘go’?
3. What did the dragon say when Hiccup
promised to tell a joke in return for
mackerel?
4. Which word told you that Old Wrinkly
doesn’t think the Initiation Test is important?
Challenge: Tests are a really good way of
showing how hard you have worked. True or
false? Explain your answer.
AF4/5
1. Why does this chapter have that title?
2. What do phrases such as ‘ancestral memory’
p.111 tell us about how Toothless hunts?
3. Why do you think the fact card for the
Monstruous Nightmare dragon is used in the
middle of this chapter?
Challenge: Design an advertising poster
selling dragon watching binoculars.
AF3
1. Why did Hiccup decide to tell jokes to his
dragon?
2. How was Toothless different when he went
hunting and smelled the sea salt?
3. Why is it important that Hiccup shows that
his dragon is under his control?
4. How did Old Wrinkly react to the boys
catching fish with their dragons?
Challenge: Imagine you could travel back in
time and write Old Wrinkly’s school report.
What would it say?
AF6
1. What can you tell about how much the
author likes Hiccup?
Challenge: Write 3 questions that you would
like
to ask Hiccup.
 Chapter 10: Thor'sday Thursday
AF2
1. What does ‘spectacular’ p.117 mean?
2. What is the name of Stoick’s brother?
3. Which word on p.137 means sending
someone away as a punishment?
4. What happened at the end of the chapter?
Challenge: Design a programme that sounds
like the one on p.118. Describe the
following events using your imagination
‘Dragonese Workshop’ and ‘Boat Building
Demonstration’.
AF4/5
1. Why does the author show a programme of
events on p.118?
2. What does ‘listening round eyed’ p. 119 tell
you about the stories being told?
3. How does this chapter help you to
understand how different Hiccup is to most
Vikings?
Challenge: Find out more about Thor.
AF3
1. Which phrases on p.119 tell us that the
young Vikings are nervous about the
Initiation Test?
2. Why was Toothless the only dragon to return
to his owner when the dragons were told to
start hunting?
3. Which words and phrases tell us that Hiccup
is really fed up at the end of this chapter?
4. What ideas are we given about what Hiccup
thinks of the Viking rules?
Challenge: Using your imagination, draw one
of the Elders of the Tribes: Hairy Scary
Librarian, Terrible Tuffnut, the Vicious Twins,
Mogadon, Stoick and Gobber.
AF6
1. Was this text trying to celebrate or criticise
the Vikings?
Challenge: Write a goodbye letter from Hiccup
to his mum.
 Chapter 11: Thor is Angry
AF2
1. What does ‘encrusted’ p.142 mean?
2. Which phrase on p.147 means that the
dragon eats a lot?
3. What does the book, ‘How To Train Your
Dragon’ tell Stoick and Gobber to do?
4. Describe what the Sea Dragon does to
Gobber. Challenge: Find all the words in this
chapter that mean the same as ‘big’.
AF4/5
1. How has the choice of words created a
feeling of anger at the beginning of this
chapter?
2. Why did the author describe the Vikings’
cry as being ‘like the faint cry of a newborn
baby’ in comparison with the Sea Dragon’s
roar?
3. How does the ‘impressive silence’ p.152
keep the reader interested in this chapter?
Challenge: Gobber the Belch is a hero. True or
false? Explain your answer.
AF3
1. How is Stoick feeling about his decision to
banish his own son?
2. Why did Stoick call a Council of War?
3. What was strange about the disappearance of
the domestic dragons?
4. How did the Sea Dragon react to the Viking
shout?
Challenge: Design a ‘WARNING’ sign for the
Viking beach whilst the Sea Dragon is there.
AF6
1. What is the author’s purpose for including
a terrifying Sea Dragon at this point in the
story?
Challenge: Draw a thought bubble for Hiccup
athe the moment when Fishlegs shouts,
‘Hiccup can speak to dragons!’.
 Chapter 12: The Green Death
AF2
1. What did Stoick offer to do?
2. Which word on p 160 shows that the dragon
was feeling evil towards Hiccup?
3. What is the real name of the dragon?
Challenge: Design a perfume called ‘Dragon
Breath’. Draw a diagram of the bottle, labelling
important information and explain what the
perfume smells like. Use p161-2 to help you
describe this.
AF4/5
1. What does ‘Hiccup had to force himself to
put one foot in front of the other’ p.159 tell
you about how he is feeling?
2. What does ‘mind’s eye’ p. 164 mean?
3. How does this chapter help you to
understand how different Hiccup is from
other Vikings?
4. How has the choice of words created the
feeling that the dragon is unpleasant and
dangerous?
Challenge: Design a toothbrush and toothpaste
for dragons with bad breath. Explain the
special features.
AF3
1. Why did the author compare the sheep to
blackberries?
2. Why is it important that the dragon describes
how he eats sheep and humans?
3. How do we know that the dragon is getting
a bit fed up of Hiccup’s talking in this
chapter?
4. How does the dragon react to hearing
Hiccup’s name?
Challenge: If you could design a free gift to go
with this book, what would it be? Draw and
label the ‘freebie’.
AF6
1. What can you tell about the author’s
opinion on whether Hiccup is a Hero?
Challenge: This edition of “How To Train Your
Dragon’ comes with free collector cards.
Design your own collector cards for Fishlegs,
Hiccup and Stoick.
 Chapter 13: When Yelling Doesn't Work

AF2 AF3
1. What does Stoick think he did wrong? 1. How did Stoick react to the failure of
2. Which phrase on p174 shows that Hiccup is Professor Yobbish’s book?
starting to like Thuggory? 2. Why do you think Hiccup is being followed?
3. What is Hiccup’s plan? 3. Hiccup is beginning to see that the dragon
4. What does ‘fiendishly’ mean? may have already helped him with his hero
Challenge: Design a ‘For Sale’ notice problem. How can we tell this?
advertising a newborn litter of baby dragons. Challenge: Hiccup is a real hero. True or false?
Explain their appearances, special skills, price
and what to bear in mind when looking after
dragons.
AF4/5 AF6
1. What does ‘he never wrote a letter if he 1. What can you tell about changing
could help it’ p170 tell us about Stoick? opinions in the Vikings towards Hiccup?
2. Thuggory laughs hysterically when he looks Challenge: Write a missing page from Professor
at the other gigantic Sea Dragon. What Yobbish’sbook entitled ‘When Yelling
does this tell us? Doesn’t Work’.
3. In what ways is Hiccup like the Green
Death? Challenge: 'He was resting his vast,
wicked chin on the cliff as a pillow. Great
plumes of violet smoke were belching out of
his snoring nostrils’. Identify all of the
adjectives in these sentences. Then write
another descriptive set of sentences, this time
writing about Stoick, who is feeling rattled.
 Chapter 14: The Fiendishly Clever Plan
AF2
1. What are the feather bombs for?
2. Which word on p.188 means very angry?
3. What did Green Death do when he was
pelted with feather bombs?
4. What happened at the end of the chapter?
Challenge: Take a look at
www.cressidacowell.co.uk to find out more
about the author.
AF4/5
1. 'Cold steel is the only language a creature
like that can understand’ p.180 explains
Snotlout. What does this mean?
2. How does the choice of words in this
chapter give the feeling that the boys are in
danger?
3. Why does the writer compare running
through heather to walking through treacle?
4. How does this chapter help you to
understand what bravery actually is?
Challenge: Draw a ‘story map’ explaining
each stage of the ‘fiendish’ plan.
AF3
1. Why do you think Snotlout is not keen to
help with the plan?
2. What ideas are we given about the adults
whilst the boys are planning their attack?
3. Why is it important that the boys and their
dragons all work together to defeat the
dragon?
4. What do you think of the boys’ bravery?
Challenge: Read ‘Cressida Cowell’s Favourite
Facts’ and write a ‘Favourite Facts’ for Hiccup.
Use your imagination if you don’t know the
answer!
AF6
1. Was this text trying to tell us something
about mental (your mind) strength and
physical (body) strength?
Challenge: Read ‘Cressida Cowell’s Favourite
Facts’
and write a ‘Favourite Facts’ for Fishlegs.
Use your imagination if you don’t know the
answer!
 Chapter 15: The Battle at Death's Head Headland

AF2
1. What happened as the dragons met at
Death’s Head Headland?
2. Wht does ‘lopsidedly’ mean?
3. Which word on p.192 means small?
4. What happened at the end of the chapter?
Challenge: Write 4 newspaper headlines for a
story describing the dragon fight.
AF4/5
1. How has the choice of words in this chapter
created the feeling that the dragon fight was
a terrible sight?
2. Whys did the author use the sentence words.
‘There was silence.’ p.194 as soon as the
dragons had run out of energy?
Challenge: Collect all of the adjectives in this
chapter that describe a negative (bad) feeling.
AF3
1. Why are the teams making the dragons
angry on purpose?
2. What are the boys waiting for as soon as the
dragons stop fighting?
3. Explain why the boys laughed hysterically
once the dragons had finished fighting.
4. How did Hiccup know that there was
something wrong at the end of the dragon
fight?
Challenge: Imagine you knew where to find
Death’s Head Headland. Design a monument in
memory of the fierce battle that took place
there. What information would you write on the
monument?
AF6
1. Why did the author surprise the reader
(you) at the end of the chapter?
Challenge: Describe this story in less than 50
Chapters 16 & 17: 'The Fiendishly Clever Plan Goes Wrong' and 'In the
Mouth of the Dragon'
AF2
1. What had Hiccup been waiting to hear?
2. Describe the Green Death in this chapter.
3. What did the dragon do to Dogsbreath?
4. Where did Hiccup see that the dragon’s fire
came from as he dangled inside its mouth?
Challenge: Imagine Hiccup had given Fishlegs
a note to give to his parents in the event that the
plan had gone wrong. Write that note.
AF4/5
1. Why did the author use the simile ‘like
prison doors’ p. 200 to describe the jaws of
the dragon?
2. Explain why Hiccup had to be the one to
receive punishment from the dragon.
Challenge: Imagine you are one of the boy
Vikings running away from the Green Death.
You witness the dragon snatching Hiccup.
Write a play script from this moment onwards
exploring what happens to the other boys and
how they react to what they saw.
AF3
1. Who is Little Supper?
2. How did Hiccup escape being swallowed?
3. How did Hiccup react to dangling inside the
dragon’s mouth?
4. How was Hiccup different after he had been
inhaling the dragon’s fumes for a while?
Challenge: Draw a ‘freeze frame’ of the
moment when Hiccup is snatched. Show the
reaction on the faces of onlookers.
AF6
1. Would you describe Hiccup as a hero?
Explain your answer.
Challenge: Imagine the story ends at the end of
this chapter. Draw a storyboard entitled ‘The
Legend of Hiccup The Brave’. Split the story
so far into 6 parts, ending with him being
eaten by the dragon.
 Chapter 18: The Extraordinary Bravery of Toothless
AF2
1. What did Toothless do to the Green Death?
2. How did Hiccup escape?
3. What happened to the Green Death when he
tried to blow fire?
4. How did Stoick’s shield save Hiccup’s life
afterall? Challenge: Draw a thought bubble for
Toothless as he watches Stoick’s cry of ‘N-N-
NOOOO!!!’
AF4/5
1. Based on the first sentence of this chapter,
how does the author make you want to read
more?
2. ‘[The Green Dragon] scratched him on the
chest. He hardly felt it though. He was so
excited.’ What does this tell us about
Toothless?
3. What does this chapter tell us about how
vulnerable the Vikings were in the face of
such a big monster? Look for phrases that
show this.
Challenge: Imagine that Stoick, Toothless and
Hiccup had a conversation behind the shield as
they waited for the dragon’s fire to come.
Write this as a playscript.
AF3
1. How was Toothless different after he heard
Stoick’s desperate cry of ‘Noooooo!’?
2. How did Hiccup manage to cover the Green
Death’s fire holes?
3. What does the word ‘impaled’ imply about
what would have happened to Hiccup if the
tooth hit him?
4. What ideas are we given about Stoick in this
chapter?
Challenge:
'Maybe it was Stoick’s heartrenderingly
powerless cry of ‘N-N-N00000!!!’ that caused
him to pause’
p.206. Draw a picture of Stoick as he says this.
AF6
1. Was this chapter trying to show us what a
real hero is?
Challenge: Imagine you are Stoick. Retell the
events of this chapter as you saw them.
 Chapter 19: 'Hiccup the Useful' and 'The Epilogue'
AF2
1. What was the ‘extraordinary miracle’ p.214?
2. What colour is dragon’s blood?
3. Why does Hiccup need to be fast if he wants
to check on Toothless?
4. What does the word ‘mournful’ mean on
p.219? Challenge: Draw a ‘freeze frame’ of the
first paragraph of this chapter.
AF4/5
1. 'Everybody looked shifty, and nobody
would look at Hiccup. Stoick cleared his
throat awkwardly’. How does this help you
to understand what Hiccup’s reaction might
be to Toothless’s death?
2. What does ‘a frenzy of exasperation’
explain about how Hiccup is feeling on p.
217?
3. Why does the writer compare Toothless to
a comet?
Challenge: Draw a thought bubble for Hiccup
whilst he watches the flaming ship drift away.
AF3
1. How do Vikings run funerals?
2. How did Hiccup react to news that Toothless
had died?
3. Why was Snotlout disappointed to see
Hiccup alive and well?
4. What ideas are we given about dragons in
the future?
Challenge: Pretend you are Professor
Yobbish. Write a reply to Stoick’s
letter.
AF6
1. Does the author like Toothless? How do
you know?
Challenge: Myths are stories about gods and
heroes that explain natural events. Legends are
stories about heroic characters based on truth
but added to over time. Fables are short stories
to teach a moral lesson. Is this book a myth,
legend or fable? Explain your answer and give
answers from the text.