Cressida Cowell
Cressida Cowell is the number one bestselling author-illustrator of the How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once book series. How to Train Your Dragon is also an award-winning DreamWorks film franchise. Cressida is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust, a trustee for World Book Day and a founder patron of the Children's Media Foundation. She lives in Hammersmith with her husband, three children and a dog called Pigeon. Cressida was our Writer in Residence in 2016-17
Cressida Cowell is the current Waterstones Children's Laureate
Books
Emily Brown and the Elephant Emergency
Author: Cressida Cowell Illustrator: Neal Layton
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Emily, her rabbit Stanley, and their friend Matilda are doing Very Important Things and having Great Adventures, but keep getting interrupted by the emergency telephone. Cowell and Layton perfectly blend imaginative play with reality.
Emily Brown and the Thing
Author: Cressida Cowell Illustrator: Neal Layton
Publisher: Hachette
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+
Lying in bed, Emily can hear lots of household noises which she discovers are made by a Thing who is afraid of things.
How To Be A Viking
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Cressida Cowell came up with the idea for her How To Train Your Dragon series by sketching this little story about a timid Viking in her sketchbook. The story of Hiccup is one of believing in yourself and not measuring yourself against others' standards.
How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 8+
This is the final instalment in the How to Train Your Dragon series and it packs an emotional punch. It brings together every adventure Hiccup and his friends have had, as well as reintroducing old characters and tying up loose ends.
How To Train Your Dragon 10: How to Seize A Dragon’s Jewel
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8-11
The world may be dark in this instalment of Cowell’s supremely enjoyable Viking series, but friendship, loyalty and Hiccup’s intelligence will surely win the day.
How To Train Your Dragon 2: How to Be A Pirate
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8+
The second in Cressida Cowell’s epic adventure series follows Hiccup as he hones his skills and starts to realise some of his power. This continuation of Hiccup’s tale has as much humour and brilliant characterisation and world building as the first book.
How To Train Your Dragon 3: How to Speak Dragonese
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 7+
The third in the series featuring Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III sees the heroic Viking warrior recall more adventures of his life as a small boy.
How To Train Your Dragon 7: How to Ride A Dragon’s Storm
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8+
The seventh book in this adventure-filled, hilarious series is a must read for fans of dragons, fantasy and Vikings – as well as all of us who appreciate good friends and brilliant ideas in the nick of time.
How To Train Your Dragon 9: How to Steal A Dragon’s Sword
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8-11
Can Hiccup find the King's Things and win the sword-fighting contest to stop Alvin the Treacherous from becoming King of the Wilderwest? The reluctant hero Hiccup is back in the ninth instalment of this epic series.
The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic
Author: Cressida Cowell
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
The sequel to the glorious The Wizards of Once picks up almost exactly where we left it – and it's just as thrilling, gorgeously written and illustrated. Prepare to get totally drawn into a magical world.