To Berk and Beyond! is spin-off book written by Richard Hamilton.
It is presented in the format of a journal/scrapbook and as a collaboration between several characters, offering different point of views and insights.
Description[]
“ | A thrilling guide to the blockbuster franchise, To Berk and Beyond! takes readers on an exciting tour of the world of Vikings and dragons through the eyes of Hiccup and Toothless. Complete with removable characters, a stand-up backdrop of both Berk and Dragon Island, lots of stickers, a removable poster, and collectible character cards, this unique book contains commentary from all the characters including Astrid, Stoick, and Valka, and fun facts and stats on the all-important dragons. Readers are treated to a complete overview of dragon training with activities such as translating dragon behavior and drawing their own dragon armor. Interactive elements and story starters immerse readers in the mythology of the movies, with Hiccup's maps and schematics of his inventions, excerpts from the Book of Dragons, and detailed stats on all the famous dragons. |
” |
— eBay[1] |
Synopsis[]
“ | Before Hiccup became chief and Toothless the Alpha of the dragons, Berk’s most famous Dragon-Racing pair kept a notebook filled with thoughts and observations on inventions, mapmaking, and the bond between dragon and rider. Or that was the plan until every Viking on the island decided to add their comments and drawings, too. Now new Dragon Riders everywhere can learn to read their dragon’s mind with Ruffnut and Tuffnut, decipher runes with Snotlout, and even chart a journey across the islands with an exact replica of Hiccup’s map. The notebook even includes a collectible set of Gobber’s own Dragon-Racing figures! | ” |
— Amazon[2] |
The Entries[]
"Seeing the World Through a Dragon's Eyes" by Hiccup & Toothless[]
“ | This... is Berk. For over seven centuries, this jagged hunk of rock has been too stubborn and unsightly to ever be swallowed by the sea. Just like its people. Generation after generation, our Vikings have only known a life of hardship, battling against the elements, each other, and.. oh, yeah-DRAGONS. | ” |
“ | See, Dragons and Vikings had been locked in combat since way before I was born. But that all changed the day I met my own dragon and best friend, Toothless. Oh, sure, things started out a little tense between us, right, bud? (Toothless just nodded. And licked my face. I'll take that as a yes). | ” |
“ | Toothless is a Night Fury and, as near as I can tell, he's the only one of his kind. I like to think that bond we forged is just as unique because it didn't only make us better-but it also made our world better. Pretty soon, everyone else on Berk came around, and the days of fighting dragons are gone. Now we live, share, and-best of all-fly with our winged friends. And for the first time in seven centuries, our hunk of rock seems a little less jagged. | ” |
“ | This is an exciting new era of thinking, exploration, and creativity. And from my saddle here on Toothless's back, I've been in a pretty good position to watch it unfold. That's why I've been committing everything we have learned, built, and discovered together over the years into this journal, or scrapbook, if you will. I started compiling this the day I met Toothless and will keep adding to it for as long as our amazing dragons teach me something new (which seems like it's going to be a while). | ” |
“ | But this book isn't just about us. I've also passed it along to my most trusted friends and fellow Dragon Riders so that they can share their insights. Or, in the case of the twins, who "borrowed" this book, so they could waste paper and ramble about stuff that makes absolutely no sense. Ever. | ” |
“ | Anyway, my hope is that whoever picks up this scrapbook will be inspired to think, explore, and create their own. Maybe that person will be the next chief of Berk. Or maybe it'll be someone else, on some new land, ten centuries after my time. Wouldn't that be something, bud? (Another Toothless face-lick. Great.) | ” |
“ | So take this book, take your friends (dragon or otherwise), and take flight on your own incredible adventure! | ” |
— Hiccup & Toothless |
"A Chief Protects His Own" by Stoick[]
“ | My son, Hiccup, has asked me to write a few words about how our life with dragons has inspired me. Normally, I'm not a man of many words. But thanks to Hiccup, these aren't normal times. | ” |
“ | I don't know how he befriended that Night Fury, and I don't know how Berk will manage with all these new dragons now living on our island. But there is one thing I do know. A chief protects his own. It is an old lesson my father taught me, a sacred oath that we used to repeat at every great gathering of chieftains. | ” |
“ | I remember how Hiccup protected Toothless when I was too blind to see their friendship. I consider how Toothless protected Hiccup from the Red Death. I look to my son and his dragon, for they are what inspired me to change, to grow, to adapt- things all chiefs must do if their people are to survive. | ” |
“ | I think of the future often, as a leader should, and I ponder who will succeed me and Hiccup. Our time to lead will come and go, and then it may fall to whoever is most worthy to carry on a chief's responsibilities. But how do I take measures of another to see if he or she is fit for the title of chief? Surely, it cannot be based on strength alone. Odin knows that'd take Hiccup out of the running (Son, if you are reading this, remember that a chief also needs a sense of humor). Nor can it be based solely on wit, for Berk has many enemies who are as cunning as they are heartless. If someone is deemed worthy, then there is a chance he or she may one day be chief. If they are deemed unworthy.. well, I admit the world needs Snotlouts, too. | ” |
— Stoick the Vast |
"Dragon Racing" by Astrid[]
“ | Okay, here's the deal: Hiccup wants me to explain the art of Dragon Racing, which represents the very best of Viking and dragon teamwork, but I'm going to make this quick. Stormfly and I need to get back to our speed drills if we're going to keep our winning streak going for yet another year, thank you very much! | ” |
Here are the rules. Learn 'em and learn 'em fast!
- Rule 1: Riders fly their dragon in an ever-changing course around Berk. It can circle just the village or run across the whole island!
- Rule 2: The goal is to catch as many white sheep as you can. Each is worth 1 point. But watch out! You only want the sheep with targets painted on their wool. Plain sheep are out of bounds. You may also want to watch out for any dragons that might try to "accidentally" eat a sheep-I'm looking at you, Hookfang!
- Rule 3: Here's where it gets interesting! Each race has a single black sheep that is worth 10 points. The black sheep get launched by a catapult during the last lap and must be caught midair. When is the last lap? That changes every game-just listen for the game horn!
- Rule 4: Riders drop every sheep they've caught into their specialized game baskets. Mine's the one with the Deadly Nadder painted on it!
- Rule 5: The rider with the most points at the end of the last lap (usually me when Hiccup and Toothless aren't around) WINS!
“ | Got all that? Good. Now I want you to forget EVERYTHING. Because Dragon Racing is a game where cheating isn't just tolerated--it's encouraged! Riders are allowed to taunt and tease, steal sheep from each other, force other racers off the track--whatever it takes to win. It's the Berk way! | ” |
“ | One last thing you should know about Dragon Racing: All riders and dragons are expected to decorate themselves with colorful racing paint. The main reason is to help the spectators spot you clearly when you're whipping past them toward victory. But I'm going to let you on a tactical advantage, too: If done right, your paint can help you strike fear into your opponents, especially Fishlegs! Works every time. | ” |
— Astrid, Berk's reigning Dragon Racing champion |
"Gobber’s Guide to Doing Everyone Else’s Job for Them"[]
“ | Well, well, well... a scrapbook, eh? More like another one of Hiccup's pet projects that'll never see completion! I've had the "pleasure" of training Hiccup in my blacksmith stall since before the lad came up to the top of my wooden leg, and in all of that time, he's been more interested in dreaming than in doing any actual work! | ” |
“ | And now that he and Toothless and the other Dragon Riders are busy doing whatever they please, it's up to good ol'Gobber to make all of the dragon saddles, stitch all of the wing slings, and perform all of the dragon dentistry. Yay. | ” |
“ | It's not all bad, though. Every now and then, my lazy, good-for-nothing Hotburple, Grump, will actually light the forge, and I can get back to doing what I do best -- making weapons! Lately I've been experimenting with some of the Gronckle Iron Meatlug spit up. The stuff's lighter than wood and stronger than steel, which makes it the ideal metal for an old sword smith such as myself. I simply plunge the ore into the fire, allow it to get red hot, and then bash it against an anvil with my hammer arm! I'm always trying to get it as flat as possible, which often means I have to warm it back up in the forge a couple of times to keep the metal pliant. | ” |
“ | Once it's roughly in the right shape, I heat the blade one last time, then dip it in a vat of cool water (not too cold or the blade will crack!), and run the edges of the blade against a whetstone to sharpen them. If there's no whetstone around, you can always use a Hotpurple's rear end. It's not like they'll notice! After the cutting edge is razor-keen, it's just a matter of attaching the bolster and handle with a small rivet, and there you have it: a Gronckle Iron sword! Which is pretty much useless, since we're now at peace with a lot of dragons. Oh, joy. So what do I do now with all of my free time? "I'm glad you asked, Gobber!" I've started a nice little side business making Dragon Racing collectibles for Berk's biggest racing aficionados. | ” |
“ | Hiccup and the other Dragon Riders are quite popular among our youngest Vikings, who want to recreate their favorite races whenever they please. Using Hiccup's wind-powered table saw, I cut out miniature figurines of our races and dragons, leaving thin slots between each so that I can fit them together into a Dragon Racing pair. I've also painstakingly painted a backdrop of Berk's track and bleachers so that fans can recreate the thrill of our Dragon Races! Why, I've even been known to play with these high-quality, reasonably priced collectibles myself. It's not as if I'll ever get to compete in an actual Dragon Race with Grump here--he can barely keep his eyes open when he flies! | ” |
— Gobber the Belch |
"A Dragon Rider's Pre-Flight Checklist" by Hiccup[]
“ | One of the most amazing this about riding on the backs on dragons is that it allows us nomadic Vikings to travel farther and faster than we ever have before. Where our journeys were once limited by the strength of our ships and unpredictable weather conditions, Toothless and I now zoom across oceans and soar above storm systems to explore new lands like Dragon Mountain, Dragon Island, and Dragon's Edge (our newest outpost) and - best of all - new dragons! | ” |
“ | At first, I may have been a bit too eager to explore and often forgot to bring important supplies with us. That's why I built a roomy stowage compartment into Toothless' saddle. I also took Gobber's advice and started keeping a running checklist of essential items to pack in our voyages. The last thing a traveling Dragon Rider wants is to be caught defenseless by a pack of Whispering Deaths - or a hungry Night Fury! I always leave a few blank spaces at the end of every check in case there extra provisions I want for specific missions... | ” |
“ | Once we started venturing outside Berk's archipelago on a regular basis, it became pretty clear that we needed a way to keep track of all the exciting new things Toothless and I encountered. | ” |
Enter my handy dandy map of the known world. It's still a work in progress as our horizons expand daily, but the basis process remains the same:
- Toothless and I circle the sky to get an aerial overview of a new land.
- I plot the relative location with my compass and sketch an outline on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Toothless licks said paper, and...
- There ya go! A new page gets dragon-drool-pasted onto our ever-expanding map!
“ | It all started when I leaned the map to a kid and his Changewing hatchling after my dad wanted me to stick around Berk for more of his thrilling "chief training". But the map took a giant leap forward thanks to my mom, Valka. I thought I had it all pretty figured out until she spread my map across a snow bank and outlined an MUCH larger world around it! Learning about all the places my mom had seen was incredibly interesting to me, not to mention a great reminder that Toothless and I are only two small parts of a very big place. Sometimes for I'll take the map and some charcoal and sketch the world as I imagine it and then dream about what I'll see next. I'll just have to make sure Toothless doesn't get a ahold of all the charcoal - Night Furies love to doodle! | ” |
— Hiccup |
"This Chapter Is All About Snotlout (You're Welcome)" by Snotlout[]
“ | This book's about to get a whole lot more interesting now that I, Snotlout, am here! Um, Hookfang's here, too. | ” |
“ | Can you believe Hiccup didn't even want me to write in this dumb thing? Probably because he knows I have more important things to do, like being the REAL leader of the Dragon Riders. Which brings me to my secret, special skill that is so secret and so special that not even Mister One-Legged Wonder can do it: code-breaking! | ” |
“ | Okay, so there's this creepy old lady named Gothi who never talks and always hits me with her stick. She throws these special stones called runes on the ground because she thinks they can tell her what'll happen in the future! Nobody but Gothi could ever understand what the fortunes meant - that is, until a Skrill hit me in the head with lightning (which I totally MEANT for him to do). Now I can read all the hidden codes in Gothi's runes. | ” |
“ | But that's not all! I can also understand what Hookfang wants, too. One fireball means he's happy. Two fireballs means he thinks my joke was hilarious! Three fireballs means.. Better wrap this up, Hookfang needs a bathroom break. And I... need to put out some, um, fires. But first I'm going to prove my code-breaking genius. I've borrowed Gothi's runes and thrown different combinations. Underneath those runes, I've written what eventually happened later on so that everyone can see how right - and strong - and handsome - and tall - I am! Snotlout, Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi! | ” |
— Snotlout |
"Dragon Trapper Tell-All" by Eret, Son of Eret[]
“ | I am Eret, son of Eret, the last in a long line of Erets son of Erets! When Hiccup asked me - a born-and-bred dragon trapper - to write in his scrapbook, I thought he'd gone as mad as a Windgnasher in a tornado! | ” |
“ | But Hiccup has been right about a great many things since I've met him, and training these beasties is almost as dangerous as trapping them! So I'm jotting down some of the tips I've picked up over my years of stalking, shipping - and now saving - dragons. I'm even going to leave some blank spaces to fill in later, since dragons never fail to surprise us with new tricks every day. | ” |
We would all do well to remember these little-known dragon fasts as they might make the difference between befriending a creature as wily as a Changewing - or winding up as its lunch!
Hideous Zipplebacks
- Trapper Tip #1: Ah, the ol'Tricky Two-Heads, as we used to call them in my old trapper days. Zipplebacks are nearly impossible to sneak up on because they share a brain. That means that when one head looks straight ahead and the other points to toward the back, the entire Zippleback knows what's going on in front of and behind it at the same time!
- Trapper Tip #2: If you can start a staring contest between the two heads, the Zippleback will keep itself busy for hours. It's like they never blink!
Hobblegrunt
- Trapper Tip #1: Hobblegrunts wear their emotions on their sleeves, so to speak. Their skin changes color depending on their mood. As a general rule, purple means the Hobblegrunt is "curious", yellow means it's "pleased" or "happy", and red means, if you see a red Hobblegrunt, watch out!
- Trapper Tip #2: Thanks to that funny fin on their heads, Hobblegrunts can also affect the mood of the others around them. If you find yourself surrounded by a mob of angry dragons, try to make nice with the closest Hobblegrunt by rubbing its belly. He might just help you calm down the others before it's too late.
Snafflefang
- Trapper Tip #1: It's hard to believe these fellas are related to Gronckles and Hotburples since Snafflefangs are taller and leaner. But when you see them around rocks, there's no mistaking that they belong in the Boulder Class! Snafflefangs love to snack on geodes in particular, which is why I always keep a few in my satchel. You never know when you might need to distract a Snafflefang and make a quick escape.
- Trapper Tip #2: After the Snafflefang is finished consuming his geodes and has flown away, go back to his eating area and look for "crumbs" he left behind. They're actually incredibly strong shards of crystal that make for excellent arrowheads.
Rumblehorn
- Trapper Tip #1: I've been learning a lot more about these tough customers ever since I took Skullcrusher's reins. Like all Tracker Class dragons, he's a terrific hunter with a keen sense of smell, but Rumblehorns can also do something else. I've seen Skullcrusher shoot a fireball in the air, then fly through it. The heat temporarily removes the scent from his body, meaning nobody can track down a Rumblehorn if he doesn't want to be found - not even a Deadly Nadder!
- Trapper Tip #2: When I don't want a Skullcrusher or any other Tracker Class dragons to smell me coming, I coat my body in Dragonberry juice. It's the only thing in this world that they can't smell!
Thunderclaw
- Trapper Tip #1: People used to think all Thunderclaws looked kind of silly because of the way their tongues are always hanging out of their mouths. But those tongues are what make them such excellent trackers. Thunderclaws smell by flicking their tongues in the air - like snakes!
- Trapper Tip #2: In order to take the Thunderclaws out of the hunt, toss them a knob of yak butter. The stuff's so thick, they'll be licking it off their teeth for days!
"How to Read Your Dragon's Mind" by Ruffnut & Tuffnut[]
“ | When we stole this book from Hiccup, we thought it was his diary. We wanted to make fun of his secret hopes and dreams, not take tests on how to be a chief! That said, we got a combined score of 2, which isn't even MENTIONED on Stoick's quiz, so, together, we are a formidable RUFFTUFF THE UNMENTIONABLE! | ” |
“ | But who needs rules of lessons or... or... what are these things made of letters again? Of, yeah, WORDS! If you REALLY know what a dragon is thinking, you must BECOME a dragon. You must eat like a dragon. You must roar like a dragon! RRRAWR! CUKOO! CUKOO! Behold! Now is the time when the terrific Thorston Twins will peel back the veils of mystery, translate every hiss, eye roll, fire burp, and wing flap, and explain HOW TO READ YOUR DRAGON'S MIND! Even if it involves our most accursed enemy: WORDS! Oh, the horror of WORDS!!! | ” |
— Ruff & Tuff |
"A Grand Tour of Berk" by Hiccup[]
"Airmail" by Fishlegs[]
"Dragon's Defense & Design" by Valka[]
"A Madness to His Method" by Hiccup[]
“ | I wish I could say every discovery we've made with our dragons has been a good one. Unfortunately, we've also come across more enemies than I'd like to admit. | ” |
“ | But they all pale in comparison to Drago Bludvist. No one has hurt Berk or me, personally, more than Drago. That said, my dad always taught me that in order to overcome our enemies, we must first study them and understand them. Even though I saw Drago and his Bewilderbeast sink into the sea under Berk's cliffs, I still believe there may be lessons to be learned about who he was and how he came to be. That way, if we ever encounter another person as dangerous as Drago Bludvist, we'll be prepared. | ” |
“ | To that end, I've pieced together a brief history of Drago, based on stories my mom and dad told me and what Eret was able to learn over his years of service as a dragon trapper. By learning this history, I hope we will never have to repeat it. | ” |
— Hiccup |
"The Legend of Drago Bludvist"[]
“ | A self-styled champion of the people devoted to freeing mankind from the tyranny of dragons, Drago Bludvist was, in actuality, a madman. Brutal, imposing, and without conscience or mercy, Drago sought nothing less than complete control over dragons and humans alike. | ” |
“ | Raised by his warring tribe on the fields of battle, young Drago knew nothing but conflict between humans and dragons; however, after a devastating dragon raid left his village burned, his family taken, and his body broken, Drago turned his rage into a weapon. Building fireproof armor out of dragon skin to hide his scarred body and soul, Drago taught himself how to force dragons to obey his will through fear and anger. | ” |
“ | Backed up by his now iron-plated dragon army, Drago then discovered a young Bewilderbeast, which he abusively trained for a single purpose: to one day dethrone the established Alpha and become the new master of all dragons, answering only to Drago himself. | ” |
“ | As Drago's enslaved dragon forces grew, so, too, did his legions of human followers. Drago's campaign led him across the world, where he recruited thousands of warriors from different lands who shared his hatred for dragons. Although some chieftains balked at Drago's plan to use dragons to destroy dragons, these "non-believers" met abrupt and fiery ends. | ” |
“ | With an entire arsenal of war machines designed to target specific dragon species, an armada of battleships led by his frigate, The Conqueror, and the secret weapon that was his Alpha-challenging Bewilderbeast, Drago Bludvist came close to achieving his goal of a future without dragons. As Drago told me: "He who controls the Alpha controls them all." | ” |
“ | But what Drago failed to understand was the true power that comes from dragons and humans working together. Because of our friendship, Toothless was able to shake off the Bewilderbeast's control and, against all odds, defeat the ice-breathing dragon and his master, Drago Bludvist. | ” |
— Hiccup |
"The Spark that Ignited the Dragon Blade" by Hiccup[]
"Organizing Your Dragons" by Fishlegs[]
“ | When I volunteered to keep track of all dragon facts and classes, I thought it would be a relaxing hobby that Meatlug and I could share together. But it's hard work! The more we learn about dragons, the more we realize how little we actually know. There are some things that we believed to be absolutely true, only to find out later that we were way off. Take Deadly Nadders, for instance. Originally, we categorized them as part of the Sharp Class because, um, just look at them! Those spikes on Stormfly are SHARP enough to poke a tiny Fireworm between its pincers. But then we saw how well Stormfly could smell things that were far away - especially her favorite: chicken! And after we met Skullcrusher and witnessed his similar sniffing skills, Hiccup and I began to understand that there's a brand-new class of dragons that encompasses Nadders and Rumblehorns: the Tracker Class. My deck of cards helps me keep track of all of the dragons we've encountered, but here's a list of every dragon class that we know of (for now) and which dragons fit in each class (for now). It's an ever-evolving list, and there are still some dragons like Deadly Nadders that seem like they could belong to multiple categories. I've started an extra space here for these hard-to-pin-down dragons, but maybe someone else can add to it after more discovery. Right now, it's my cuddle time with Meatlug! |
” |
— Fishlegs |
"Gobber's Crash Course in Dragon Training" (Emphasis on "crash")[]
“ | When my "apprentice" Hiccup isn't busy flying off the edge of the world with Toothless, he fancies himself quite the dragon tracker. And he is, but even Hiccup had a hard time wrangling the juvenile Scuttleclaws we found in Valka's mountain! Aye, the wee hatchlings are cute, I suppose, with their big eyes and their boundless energy, which is quite the opposite of certain other Hotburple dragons I could mention (ahem - GRUMP!). But riding on one? That's another story entirely, and one that usually ends with a bruised rump! Now that we're back on Berk, though, it's time to teach the wild Scuttleclaws to fall in line. Some might say that hatchlings are untrainable, but those baby dragons never spent a day in the arena with Gobber! After all, I did teach Ruffnut and Tuffnut how to be productive members of a Viking society... er, more or less. So here's a quick tutorial in how to train your hatchling. It's in the form of my "Questions & Answers" lessons, where I ask the questions and you answer them - before getting roasted by dragon fire, that is. I've stashed the answers at the end of this book. |
” |
"Prepare for Battle!" by Astrid[]
"Distracting the Bewilderbeast: An Oral History" (as transcribed by Valka)[]
"Ascension of an Alpha" by Hiccup[]
"Exploration Never Ends"[]
Characters[]
- Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
- Toothless
- Stoick the Vast
- Valka
- Gobber the Belch
- Astrid Hofferson
- Ruffnut Thorston
- Tuffnut Thorston
- Eret, Son of Eret
- Snotlout Jorgenson
- Fishlegs Ingerman
- Drago Bludvist
Trivia[]
- Hiccup hides his charcoal pencils away from Toothless because it turns out that Night Furies love to doodle.
- Eret used to mask his scent by covering himself in Dragonberry juice.