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Heidi Heckelbeck Is Ready to Dance!

Illustrated by Priscilla Burris
Book #7 of Heidi Heckelbeck

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About The Book

Heidi bravely enters her school’s talent show, but finds she is in need of some enchanted assistance!

It’s time for the Brewster Elementary Talent Show, but Heidi Heckelbeck doesn’t want to perform because she thinks she has no talent. Then Heidi finds a special pair of shoes in the attic and decides she will do a dance—but she may need a little help from her Book of Spells!

With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Heidi Heckelbeck chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Excerpt

Heidi Heckelbeck is Ready to Dance!




Heidi Heckelbeck sat on the maple-tree swing and twirled the ropes together until they were tight. Then she lifted her feet and let the swing go. She spun round and round. Her thoughts were spinning as fast as the swing.

“You want to hear an awful truth?” asked Heidi as the swing unwound.

“I guess so,” said her brother, Henry, who was sitting on the branch above her.



Heidi took a deep breath.

“Okay, here goes,” she said. “I have no talent.

“I can’t dance.

“I can’t sing.

“I can’t even act.

“I’m just a big fat nothing!”

“Well, I’m not,” Henry said. “I’ve got talent.”

“Like what?” asked Heidi.

Henry stood on the branch. He put one hand on the trunk and the other high in the air. “I am an ac-TOR!” he said.



Heidi rolled her eyes. “A BAD actor.”

“No, a MIME actor,” said Henry. “I can act out stories without talking.”

“No words?” Heidi asked.

“Not a one,” said Henry.

“Really? This I’ve GOT to see,” said Heidi.



“Okay,” said Henry as he jumped out of the tree. “But I need a smooth floor.”

Heidi and Henry ran inside. Then Henry hid behind the kitchen door.

“Ready?” asked Henry.

“Ready,” said Heidi.

Henry moonwalked smoothly into the kitchen. He had his hands in his pockets as his feet glided across the floor. He moved his head forward and back as he walked. One heel snapped to the floor in between steps. Then he stopped and looked around. His eyes got wide as he pretended to see something.



I wonder what Henry’s looking at, thought Heidi.



Henry stooped and pretended to pick a flower. He pretended to smell it. Then he picked another and another. When he had a whole bunch of pretend flowers, he walked up to Heidi and offered them to her.



Heidi smiled and pretended to take them. “Very smooth, little dude,” she said. “But it totally stinks.”



“Why?” asked Henry.

“Because you’ve got talent and you’re younger than I am.”



“That’s so silly,” Henry said.

“I have to agree,” said Mom, who had walked in during the show. “Everyone has talent. You just have to find something you like to do and practice it.”

“But how am I going to do that?” asked Heidi. “There’s only one week until the school talent show. That’s not enough time to get good at anything.”



“You can say that again,” said Henry. “I’ve been practicing my mime act for months.”

“See?” Heidi said. “It takes a long time to get good at something.”

Mom sighed.

“You don’t need more time or more talent,” said Mom. “All you need is a good idea.”



“Okay, fine,” said Heidi. “I’m going outside to think.”

Heidi pushed on the screen door, and it snapped shut behind her.

Just then Dad walked into the kitchen. “Did I miss something?” he asked.

About The Author

Wanda Coven

Wanda Coven has always loved magic. When she was little, she used to make secret potions from smooshed shells and acorns. Then she would pretend to transport herself and her friends to enchanted places. Now she visits other worlds through writing. Wanda lives with her husband and son in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They have three cats: Hilda, Agnes, and Claw-dia.

About The Illustrator

(c) Priscilla Burris
Priscilla Burris

Priscilla Burris has illustrated numerous books for children, parents, and teachers. She enjoys cake painting and creating art for products that include murals, greeting cards, and rubber stamps. Priscilla lives with her family in Southern California.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Little Simon (March 5, 2013)
  • Length: 128 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781442451919
  • Ages: 5 - 7
  • Lexile ® 610L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Resources and Downloads

More books from this author: Wanda Coven

More books from this illustrator: Priscilla Burris

More books in this series: Heidi Heckelbeck