Cressida Cowell September 2011

The Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour with Cressida Cowell

On the 27th September 2011 the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour began a fantastic three day tour with the wonderful author of How to Train Your Dragon, Cressida Cowell, around the Highlands

As well as writing and illustrating picture books such as the beautiful Little Bo’ Peep’s Library Book, Cressida has also won awards for her novels and created the How to Train your Dragon series which was turned into a Dreamworks movie in 2010 and nominated for an Oscar. 

Cressida talked about Vikings, dragons, folk tales and reached deep into the imaginary world to show pupils how she came up with her stories and how she makes them so entertaining. She showed pupils original artwork from her boooks and even taught them how to speak Dragonese!

To find out more about Cressida Cowell please visit her website.

Author Biography

Cressida grew up in London and on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland, the name of which remains a secret.

She studied English at university, and then went to art college where she got degrees in graphic design and illustration.

Her final project at art school was a childrens’ book called Little Bo Peep’s Library Book, which was published by Hodder Childrens’ Books in 1998. Since then she has written ten more picture books, including the Emily Brown stories, which won the Nestle childrens’ book prize in 2006.

Remembering stories of Vikings and dragons that she had written while on the island she developed the ideas and created the How to Train Your Dragon series. There are now eight books in the series and she is working on the ninth. In March 2010 Dream Works Animation released a movie of How to Train Your Dragon which was subsequently nominated for an Oscar and a Bafta.

For more information about Cressida and her books visit http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/index.asp  

Download audio clips or extracts from the How to Train Your Dragon Books.

Pupil Feedback

I was so excited when I heard CRESSIDA COWELL was coming to our school, a little school that nobody has heard of that's in a small town in a small place. I mean she's the best author of our generation! When I was picked to be her personal helper for the day as you can imagine I EXPLODED with joy ... when she clearly explained her imaginations I really enjoyed it nobody would probably think about writing about such a unreal thing as dragons but her. everybody's reading her books in school they are addicted to them I think that Cressida Cowell is amazing. Evie, 10, Bridgend Primary School

I liked Cressida Cowell very much because her talk was very good. I thought it would be boring but it was very good. I liked how Cressida told us about when she was younger. I never used to like big books but now I am very interested in big books.  Michael, 10, Bridgend Priamry School

I loved her visit! I nearly fainted! I liked when you went back in time and said when you first started writing stories. I got one of your books and I LOVE your signature! I have the 3rd book, How to Speak Dragonese. The book had a super starting! Anne-Sophie, 9, Dornoch Primary School

I enjoyed her visit, it was lots of fun. My favourite character is toothless and I love how he was made from a cat. It was very funny when Cressida Cowell started talking dragonese. After when I went to play out me and my friend Kim started talking Dragonese all playtime.  Eve, 11 Dornoch Primary School

We would give the visit 10 out of 10. We enjoyed finding out about how you invented the different dragons, especially their names, some of us didn't know that books like your existed and we would like to read some of them now.... A lot of us hadn't seen or heard an author before and it was very interesting to find out how books are written, we enjoyed finding out about you as an author. we thought it was great how you used real things in imaginary stories i.e. the cliff face. P5, Kirkhill Primary School

I thought that Cressida Cowell's visit was very interesting. She told us how to speak dragonese and where she got the idea to write about dragons. Her pictures were based on a real animal and she just changed bits and added bits on to make it look more like a dragon. The Bee-Eater was based on a basking shark! Her stories are very interesting and it's given me more inspiration to be a writer in the future. Morgan, 10, Munlochy Primary School

Cressida did a talk and it was amazing she talked about the way she modeled her dragons around fish, cats and other animals. I thought that was amazing. she said that she wrote a map to help her start her story I thought that was a clever idea and it was very interesting. I think the books are really good and exciting. Elizabeth, 10 Munlochy Primary School

I had not really read a novel in quite a while but I was really inspired so I started to read How to Break a Dragon's Heart. The whole day was amazing even my little brother loved getting a book and getting it signed even though he can't read he pretends to. Robbie, 10, Bridgend Primary School

Thank you Scottish Book Trust for coming and it was very fun and the website is amazing and it even has a picture of me on it with a viking helmet!! I have realised that instead of watching T.V, to read books. It is a pleasure and I hope you come again. Kash, 11, Bridgend Primary School

I enjoyed the talk by Cressida Cowell because I liked how she took her ideas from when she was little on the island for How to Train you Dragon books. I also enjoyed when she was speaking dragonese. I thought it was cool seeing Hiccup changing and it was exciting listening to her stories when she was younger with her family on the island. Finn, 11, Edderton Primary School

I enjoyed the talk with Cressida Cowell because I liked the way she talked Dragonese language and I really liked where she got her ideas from. She got her ideas from the little island she visited when she was young and during the talk she was really enthusiastic and I really enjoyed that. Matthew, 9, Edderton Primary School

I liked going to see Cressida Cowell because we got a chance to meet an author and to get a book signed by Cressida. I had never read any of her books before. I bought the How to Steal a Dragon's Sword and am already at page 144, and I am hoping to read all of the series they all sound really good. Claire, 10, Edderton Primary School

Teacher Feedback

Superb. The children were looking forward to meeting Cressida, and she did not disappoint. It inspired a number of our children to read a novel, something they had not considered before. Gillian Winter, Bridgend Primary School

Excellent. very well organised and kids were enthralled. Jane Mason, Dornoch Primary School

FANTASTIC. Christine Ford, Kirkhill Primary School

The children were engrossed for the whole event. It was run very professionally. Alan Graham, Stratherrick Primary School

Excellent. Cressida Cowell was very enthusiastic and managed to give the pupils a lot of information in the given time. Maureen Simpson, Edderton Primary School

Cressida Cowell was an excellent speaker and leveled what she said appropriately reaching all the children. Jane McDermid, Cauldeen Primary School

Very enjoyable. She was a very enthusiastic presenter of her work. Julia Jerrett, Cawdor Primary School

Very enjoyable, the children were all enthused by the talk. Emma Clements, Avoch Primary School