Inside a Young Writer’s Mind: What this Film Review Reveals

Blog post published 10 March 2026

Every so often, a piece of student writing reminds us that strong literacy isn’t just about spelling, grammar, or structure. It’s about thinking.

In our recent holiday program, one of our students wrote a film review of How to Train Your Dragon as a book adaptation. At first glance, it reads like a confident, well-structured review. But what stood out most wasn’t the vocabulary or the length. It was the depth of judgement behind the words.

Rather than simply retelling the story, the student made a bold evaluative claim: that the film actually improved on the book. That’s not an easy stance to take. It requires comparing two texts, analysing character development, and forming an independent viewpoint. This is exactly the kind of higher-order thinking we aim to nurture.

Throughout the review, the student demonstrates an emerging understanding of what makes storytelling effective. They comment on character growth, narrative clarity, and visual impact, and they recognise how the protagonist’s development shapes the emotional experience for the audience. These are sophisticated observations for a young writer. Instead of saying “it was good,” they explain why it works.

Even more encouraging is the student’s willingness to engage critically. They evaluate the strengths of the film, reflect on its themes, and consider how the story might influence viewers. This shows a shift from simple comprehension to interpretation and analysis, which is where real literacy growth happens.

Of course, like all developing writers, there are areas to refine. Some sections drift into plot summary rather than analysis, and there are opportunities to deepen comparisons between the book and the film. But this is exactly what makes the piece so valuable as a learning snapshot. It shows a child on the cusp of more advanced writing, ready to move from describing texts to truly critiquing them.

What this piece reminds us is that strong writing doesn’t appear overnight. It grows from repeated opportunities to think, discuss, question, and refine ideas. When children are encouraged to form opinions, justify them, and communicate them clearly, writing becomes more than a school task. It becomes a tool for thinking.

And that’s the real goal.

At The Swot Shop, we don’t just teach students to write longer sentences or memorise structures. We help them develop the confidence to form ideas, the vocabulary to express them, and the analytical skills to evaluate the world around them.

Because when a child learns to think deeply, the writing follows.

Below is the student’s full review, shared with permission as a snapshot of developing critical writing.

Film Review of a Book Adaptation

How to Train Your Dragon by Jayden (Year 6)

How to Train Your Dragon started off as a relatively poorly written book by Cressida Cowell. The characters were rather one dimensional and the protagonist was weak and not a protagonist someone could look up to. Thankfully, the movie has salvaged this mess and turned it into an excellent film, having a clear storyline, an admirable protagonist, and beautiful graphics.

The story begins where the viking village, the main setting, is under siege. Dragons are burning houses and attacking people. The vikings try to get rid of the dragons, but they only leave after the village is in ruins. This attack, and many which have came before them, have caused hatred between the dragons and the vikings. Yet, Hiccup, an adventurous and kind-hearted boy whose physical ability isn’t his strength, tries to kill a dragon to prove his worth to the vikings. He’s often clowned on by others, which just makes him more determined. He finds a dragon trapped in ropes, but as he’s about to kill it, he feels like he just can’t do it. Instead, he trains the dragon to the best of his ability and they become close friends. He even names it Toothless.

Meanwhile, the village is trying to find the dragon nest, but with the threat of the Nightfury dragon, it’s unclear whether they’ll succeed. As the storyline progresses, Hiccup grows and so does Toothless, while the other vikings continue their search for the dragon nest. Hiccup, after training Toothless, feels like the dragons shouldn’t be hunted, since the vikings had killed so many of them, so he tries to stop the viking leader.

This action-packed movie will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time! Hiccup in the movies is also a great role model for many children. His bravery, determination and kind-heartedness makes him an admirable character. Additionally, the personality of the other vikings are just as well portrayed: ruthless, strong and persistent warriors seeking retribution. Overall, the character development of Hiccup is clear, as he goes from a viking boy who tries to prove his worth by slaying a dragon, to someone who realises that maybe the dragons do not deserve to be slaughtered. The best part is how in the intro, Hiccup describes the dragons as ‘pests’, while in the end, he calls them ‘pets’.

Additionally, the animations are excellent. The dragons look dangerous and scary, while still looking super cool. It’s undeniable that the artists have spent lots of time and money into perfecting the appearance of the dragons. The landscapes of the movie also look beautiful, with lush greenery, precipices, cliff ranges, and even mountains. There are also tonnes of small details such as tools and weapons in the background, forges, blueprints and other materials, or even just people in the background. These details really paint the picture of the environment.

Overall, the movie is a truly amazing film, which looks beautiful, has an excellent storyline and rich character development. This movie never fails to intrigue the audience, which is why I would highly recommend watching this movie!

Five stars.