But he’s charming and tells them a tale of woe and everyone is concerned for him and about him, especially since he seems to have come bearing only good news and good will, after all he’s appeared to try and help them find Grimbeard the Ghastly’s treasure which can only be found by his true heir. From his strange name to his scheming side eye and mustache and even his hook. Alvin the Poor-but-Honest-Farmer looks nothing like a Poor-but-Honest-Farmer.

And if there is one draw back to having sketches in your children’s book it’s this.

Instead they find a living (just barely) man named Alvin the Poor-but-Honest-Farmer. So of course the tribe thinks his coffin is full of treasure, despite clearly saying not to open it. He’s considered a hero and one of the best Pirates to ever, not just in the Hooligan tribe. Grimbeard the Ghastly is one of Hiccup’s ancestors, specifically his great great grandfather. “Beware do not open this coffin curse be he who disturbs the remains of Grimbeard the Ghastly the greatest pirate who ever struck Terror into the inner Isles.” In this case they find a coffin that says on it’s outside: The main adventure of the book is related to treasure, like any good pirate themed book should be. Thankfully he gets foiled but it’s a bit disturbing to find in a children’s book character. While in the last book Snotlout was essentially Hiccup’s rival and bully, this book establishes that Snotlout wants to be next in line to be chief at anycost, and if he could orchestrate Hiccup’s murder he would. “While everybody was concentrating on watching this massacre, Snotlout sneakily picked up Dogsbreath’s sword and removed the wooden case.” In the midst of his struggle his cousin, who looks every bit like a true viking, decides to take the challenge from harmless practice to deadly reality. In the midst of pirate training Hiccup decides to try his hand at something his family is particularly good at which is sword fighting, but in true Hiccup fashion, he’s not. How to Be a Pirate continues the tale of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he goes through his training program, this time with a specific focus on “Pirate Training.”

Cressida cowell how to be a pirate