Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wacky dragon-school episode packed with positive messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
DOOM OF THE DARKWING finds young Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, son and heir of Viking warrior chief Stoick the Vast, on his first day at the long-awaited Training School for Vikings and Dragons. He's off to a bad start, as he gets out of bed only to step in dragon poop, and while he keeps hoping to find ways to defeat the enemy without fighting, his teacher mocks him and tells him to stop thinking so much. Adding to the misery is the class bully, who thinks Hiccup is a nepo baby and wants to be chief himself. His friend (and, maybe, crush) Camicazi should be at school but is nowhere to be found. A really scary dragon is laying waste to the land, and a really sleazy con man is taking advantage of the situation to rip off the Vikings. It's a lot. But whether the situation is silly or scary, Hiccup can count on dragons Windwalker and Toothless, and also his nerdy friend Fishlegs. Though not always the way he expects.
Is It Any Good?
Thrills and laughs galore as Hiccup's first day of dragon school, packed with peril and pratfalls sure to keep pages turning and funny bones tickled, launches Cressida Crowell's new spinoff series. Along with a lot of poop and gross out humor, Doom of the Darkwing packs a lot of positive messages into this wacky adventure, as friendship, kindness, courage, and clever thinking carry the day over bullying, hacking, slashing, and ripping people off. It's a worthy entry in the well-loved How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and you don't need to know the characters from the many books, movies, or TV series they've appeared in, though longtime fans will be happy to rejoin them. Lots of silliness and lots of dragon lore will delight old and new fans, and humorous illustrations on every page make the tale come alive for the read-aloud audience as well.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dragon stories like Doom of the Darkwing. Some have humans slaying the dragons, while others suggest that being friends is lots better. What are your favorite dragon stories, and what do you like about them?
The little dragon Toothless has built a huge fanbase among readers for being cute and saving the day, often by also being world-class annoying. Do you know anyone like that?
If you had your own dragons, what would they be like?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Cressida Cowell
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : July 22, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 25, 2025
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