How To Train Your Dragon: book series review

Am I the only one who didn't realize that the How to Train your Dragon stories were based on books!  My 8 year old son and I came across Cressida Cowell's book series at the library.  The first book was published in 2003 and there are currently 11 books published.  My son and I started with the 11th book (because that is what was at the library) How to Betray a Dragon's Hero, published in Sept 2013.  At the end of the book, the author notes that the 12th book is coming soon, and will be the final book in the series. Check out the book series website howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com.

I was so blown away by the book we read.  It was artfully done with skilled prose and pencil drawings.  The book moves alone quickly, and we always had a hard time stopping at the end of a chapter.  The 17th chapter, Sword Fight, was so wonderful, I took it to work and shared it with many friends.  It was all about what makes a hero, a king, a leader.  It was about hatred and forgiveness, and about identity and what choices we have when someone else has what we want. 

 

The books embody great character and morales, wonderful prose and illustrations, and the timeless epic tradition of books like the Narnia series and The Lord of the Rings.  Now, mind you, they are different in many respects too...but there is a journey across many lands, with multiple types of dragons, and the battle between good and evil.  The hero endures trials and overcomes obstacles, until he becomes more and more the king he was destined to be.

My son is 8 and is able to read the books alone, although I do think he misses a lot that way because of the vocabulary used.  He seems to get more out of it when we read together.  I love the books, so they are definitely appropriate for anyone about 3rd grade and older, depending on reading level and proficiency.

Lifelong Learning on the Web: A Review of Coursera

I just discovered the wonders of coursera.org.  This website offers over 650 free online courses from over 100 national and international sources including top universities like Princeton, Duke, University of Edinburgh, and more.

The courses span a range of topics including things like medicine, finance, history, art, food and education.  The courses are geared toward three groups of people: those who are lifelong learners and like to explore new topics, those who are students wanting to augment their learning in a particular area (e.g., astronomy, physics, statistics), and professionals who want to learn more in their field of study (e.g., how to teach character in the classroom).  Most of the courses are in English, although some are in different languages.

The courses run for a specific length of time, so not all courses are running simultaneously.  Most courses are about 6-8 weeks.  Each course estimates the amount of time commitment per week (e.g., usually about 4 hrs a week).  I tend to feel the estimates are on the long side. 

Coursera has an app that can be used for the course, although not all features are available on the app.  Some of the features that allow you to chat and discuss topics with other students in the class are not yet available on the app but are available at their full website.  Each week of the course, there will be videos available to watch in which the teacher is speaking right to the camera (not a far off shot from a large class in session).  The course is made just for coursera students.  Each video may be about 2 - 15 minutes in length and there may be 5-8 videos per week.  There may be extra links or readings suggested or available.  Then there is a weekly quiz in which you click an honor code button that you are doing your own work.  The quiz consists generally of 5-10 questions and is untimed.  You can typically retake the quiz 1-2 times and use your highest score. 

Many of the courses offer you a certificate of completion and there is an option to pay about $45 for a verified certificate if this is important to you. 

So whether you want to learn about new topics from your own home or want to supplement your schooling or career, check out coursera.org where learners learn for free.