How to Train Your Dragon Book 5: How to Twist a Dragon’s Tail by Cressida Cowell

Rating: Highly Recommended, but Needs Parent Supervision, I like it BUT some families may not.

Reading Level: Late Elementary, Middle School

This book illustrates some fantastic Gospel principles, but needs parent supervision/discussion to pull out the themes. Here, when bad things happen, Hiccup wonders whether the world is “A Good Egg” or “A Bad Egg.” In the end, a twist of fate works in Hiccup’s favor. This illustrates the principle that “all things work together for the Good of those who are called according to God’s purposes,” namely, that if you’re on God’s team you’ll see all things end up working for your good, while if you’re not on God’s team, you’ll see things working against you in the end.

 The story had the usual concerns:

• Viking mythology, mentions of Thor or “the gods”
• Fantasy. Dragons with magic & curses
• Breasts. “Big boobied Bertha” is mentioned a couple times
• Potty/Body Humor. References to farts, nose picking, etc.

Essay/Discussion questions: (spoiler alert!)

• Read Romans 8:28.  When Snotnose tries to point out Hiccup’s dissertion, he ends up only helping Hiccup’s dad realize that Hiccup was actually bravely trying to save the people. In the same way, how did Al’s attempt to hurt someone end up only hurting himself? How does this illustrate Romans 8:28? (Al didn’t follow through with the request to deliver the ruby. In the end, this ultimately hurt Al because his actions led to Hiccup being born—Hiccup is the thwarter of all his plans. This illustrates Romans 8:28 because God uses Al’s evil behavior to accomplish His purposes of punishing and restraining Al’s plans.)
• In the end, Hiccup talks about the world being a Good Egg or a Bad Egg. We know that it isn’t the world itself that is good, but the God who rules the world is good.
• In our world you’re either for God or against Him. If all things will work according to His purposes, then what does that mean for those of us who are on God’s team? What does that mean for those who are *not* on God’s team?

Check out my reviews of other books in the series.