Hiccup The Seasick Viking [Hardcover]

Cressida Cowell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | Age Level: 4 and up

Unlike his large and brave fellow Vikings, Hiccup is small and afraid of everything until he helps steer his ship to safety during a storm.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hiccup, a diminutive Viking boy, dreads rough stuff. His linebacker-size father, known as Stoick the Vast, cheerfully scoffs, "Vikings don't get frightened." Hiccup reluctantly joins a crew and, as the sea grows wilder, he turns green and gets seasick "all over Stoick's feet." However, the other sailors feel queasy, too. Their squiggly frowns betray their nausea, and they lean over the side of the bucking ship (with their backs politely to the reader). Hiccup sees that his peers get scared, "but they get over it... That's what makes them so brave." Cowell (Little Bo Peep's Library Book) describes Vikings as "enormous, roaring thieves with bushy mustaches who sailed all over the world and took whatever they wanted." She downplays the pillaging (which could compromise the heroism) and pictures Stoick as a broad-bellied, guffawing fellow with curling horns on his pointed helmet. In the loose watercolors, in which smiling sea creatures ride roiling waves, Hiccup is a gentler figure. His short red hair matches his father's scraggly beard, but his blue helmet has stumpy, blunt horns. Cowell gives practical advice about facing fears, with an all-too-human problemAthrowing upAas the great equalizer. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Unlike real Vikings, Hiccup is "tiny, thoughtful, and polite." He is also afraid of thunder, loud noises, and spiders. His father, Stoick the Vast, insists that Vikings don't get seasick or frightened. When he musters up his courage and heads out to sea on his father's ship, of course he gets sick, and the others laugh at him. Then a fierce storm comes up and the rest of the crew becomes ill and frightened, too. Predictably, Hiccup conquers his fears, takes the helm, and steers the boat safely into the harbor. Cowell's watercolor illustrations are appealing, but the least-likely-saves-the-day plot is too much of a clich? to hold readers' interest.
Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; First Edition edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531302784
• ISBN-13: 978-0531302781
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,293,158 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cressida Cowell grew up mostly in Central London. She has a BA in English Literature from Oxford University, a BA in Graphic Design from St Martin's and an MA in Narrative Illustration from Brighton. Cressida loves illustrating her own work, but also loves writing books for other people to illustrate as the end result can be so unexpected and inspiring. Cressida has written and illustrated eight books in the popular Hiccup series. The unique blend of child centred humour and sublime prose made Hiccup an instant hit. How to Train Your Dragon has reached over 100,000 sales and is now published in over 30 languages. A Dreamworks feature film is due to be released in 2010. Also the author of picture books, Cressida has won the Nestle Children's Book Prize 2006 and has been shortlisted for many others. Cressida lives in Hammersmith with her husband, three children and two cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Early version of a great character, April 29, 2010

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hiccup The Seasick Viking (Hardcover)

"Hiccup The Seasick Viking"

Written and Illustrated by Cressida Cowell

(Orchard Books, 2000)

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The original story of Hiccup, the misfit Viking, now the star of a big hit movie, "How To Train Your Dragon." You'da thunk they would have reissued this picturebook to coincide with the other Train Your Dragon merchandising, but alas, it remains an obscurity, although it is a wonderful little story about finding one's way in a culture awash in machismo. Here, Hiccup is a timid lad, afraid of a lot of little things, but terrified about going to sea. His father, Stoick, is largely the same as in the film, although there are other secondary characters who are different. Anyway, the boy does go to sea with the menfolk and when the sea gets *really* rough, it turns out that the big, tough, macho men get seasick, too, and little Hiccup has to take over and steer their ship for them. If you liked the movie or the revamped chapterbook series that inspired it, this early version, although slightly different, still has a lot to offer. It's cute, and better suited for younger readers. (Joe Six, ReadThatAgain children's book reviews)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do Vikings Ever Get Frightened?, November 14, 2010

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hiccup The Seasick Viking (Hardcover)

If this was the starting point for the "How to Train your Dragon Books," then I must say this is a much more interesting story than those. Of course, this is a little children's picture book, but it is fun and wholesome and not gross.

The illustrations are just excellent, the Viking Song is hilarious and fun to sing, and the philosophy of the book comes through loud and clear: Try new things. Some things you'll be good at. You may be surprised. As you get good at things, they become more enjoyable.

Positive message, no underpants humor, fits with our other viking-themed books we have going on this month.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big fan of Hiccup!, December 7, 2009

By 

J. Torres (Rochester, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hiccup The Seasick Viking (Hardcover)

We started collecting the Hiccup chapter books last year for my 8 yr old who just loves the stories. Then I found this book when I went looking for new ones. I don't think it got published here, but I understand it was the book that started it all. Now his younger brother has a book he can read too! Fun story about a little boy who faces his fears. Yes, it's a common theme, but this is for little kids and it is a better story because of this author and the the little viking.

Incidentally, all the Hiccup stories are very funny and the boys love them. And they are not as off-color as Captian Underpants and Wimpy Kid series -- which get a bit carried away for my taste. True heroism, funny dragons, and grand adventures in every book. We have even listened to a few as books on CD and enjoyed them on long car trips. I highly recommend all the Hiccup stories and their author!