It was such a good read, How to Train Your Dragon has been made into an award-winning franchise for the big screen by DreamWorks Animation.

Its bestselling author Cressida Cowell, who will be visiting the county this weekend, has also seen it go on to sell more than seven million copies around the world.

The No.1 selling children's author also wrote The Wizards if Once: Twice Magic, and the Emily Brown picture books.

She is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency and a founder patron of the Children’s Media Foundation.

She has won many prizes for her books, including the Blue Peter Book Award Gold Award in the Nestle Children’s Book Prize, the Hay Festival Medal for Fiction, and Philosophy Now’ magazine’s 2015 Award for Contributions in the Fight Against Stupidity.

Her advice to budding writers is: “Read lots to give you a feel for the way different stories can be told. Also practice writing as much as you can – write, and re-write – don’t worry if you don’t finish a story, as long as you are practising, that’s what matters.”

Cressida will be at Waterstones in Bluewater on Saturday, November 17 from 11am, signing copies of The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic, as well as a new collectors’ card edition of How to Train Your Dragon, and a new picture book, Emily Brown and Father Christmas.

Bookshop manager David Sheldrake said: “We’re excited to have this opportunity to meet such a popular author, my own son loves her books! We’re anticipating a fun signing.”

The event is free but fans are advised to arrive early. Badges and a dragon stamp tattoo will also be on offer on the day.