Get our latest staff recommendations, award news and digital catalog links right to your inbox.
Henry Heckelbeck Gets a Dragon
Book #1 of Henry Heckelbeck
By Wanda Coven
Illustrated by Priscilla Burris
Table of Contents
About The Book
Heidi Heckelbeck’s younger brother Henry finds his own magical Book of Spells in this first Henry Heckelbeck adventure!
Henry Heckelbeck is just like any other normal kid. He plays soccer. He isn’t a huge fan of homework. He even has an older sister, Heidi.
What’s not so normal about Henry is his family. His sister and mom are magic.
Not Henry, though…he’s just a normal kid. Or is he?
Henry Heckelbeck is starting a new year of school. He has a new teacher, makes new friends, and discovers that he has some magical powers of his own thanks to a Book of Spells he finds in his bedroom. But magic can be tricky and when Henry accidentally brings his toy dragon to life, his days of being a normal kid are over.
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Henry Heckelbeck chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.
Henry Heckelbeck is just like any other normal kid. He plays soccer. He isn’t a huge fan of homework. He even has an older sister, Heidi.
What’s not so normal about Henry is his family. His sister and mom are magic.
Not Henry, though…he’s just a normal kid. Or is he?
Henry Heckelbeck is starting a new year of school. He has a new teacher, makes new friends, and discovers that he has some magical powers of his own thanks to a Book of Spells he finds in his bedroom. But magic can be tricky and when Henry accidentally brings his toy dragon to life, his days of being a normal kid are over.
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Henry Heckelbeck chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.
Excerpt
Chapter 1: Back to School
Henry’s eyes popped open.
“First day of school!” he cried. He hopped out of bed, fully dressed.
Henry always slept in his clothes. It saved time.
He brushed his teeth with his special two-sided toothbrush. It could reach every tooth.
Then he zipped into the hallway.
Blammo! Henry crashed right into his older sister, Heidi.
“Hey, bub! Watch out next time!” she said.
Henry apologized. “Sorry, sis!”
Then he took off down the stairs. Henry loved his sister, but sometimes she could be a total grump-a-saurus.
Henry slipped into his seat at the table.
Mom gave Henry a strawberry-banana smoothie in a to-go cup. He liked to finish his smoothie on the way to the bus stop. It saved time.
Heidi plunked down at the kitchen table.
“Smoothies?” she complained. “I wanted pancakes.”
“Then why don’t you turn your smoothie into what you WANT?” Henry suggested.
Heidi looked at Mom.
“No magic at the table,” Mom said firmly.
Heidi rolled her eyes.
Magic was normal at the Heckelbeck house.
Heidi was a witch—so were Henry’s Mom and Aunt Trudy.
Henry and Dad were regular, everyday people, and Henry was fine with that.
Henry checked the clock and yelled, “Gotta go!”
“Not so fast!” said Dad. “We need a first-day-of-school picture!”
It took a few tries before they got the best one.
Henry’s first day of school was off to a very normal start.
But today was going to be anything but normal.
That was because Henry Heckelbeck had a secret.
He just didn’t know it yet.
Henry’s eyes popped open.
“First day of school!” he cried. He hopped out of bed, fully dressed.
Henry always slept in his clothes. It saved time.
He brushed his teeth with his special two-sided toothbrush. It could reach every tooth.
Then he zipped into the hallway.
Blammo! Henry crashed right into his older sister, Heidi.
“Hey, bub! Watch out next time!” she said.
Henry apologized. “Sorry, sis!”
Then he took off down the stairs. Henry loved his sister, but sometimes she could be a total grump-a-saurus.
Henry slipped into his seat at the table.
Mom gave Henry a strawberry-banana smoothie in a to-go cup. He liked to finish his smoothie on the way to the bus stop. It saved time.
Heidi plunked down at the kitchen table.
“Smoothies?” she complained. “I wanted pancakes.”
“Then why don’t you turn your smoothie into what you WANT?” Henry suggested.
Heidi looked at Mom.
“No magic at the table,” Mom said firmly.
Heidi rolled her eyes.
Magic was normal at the Heckelbeck house.
Heidi was a witch—so were Henry’s Mom and Aunt Trudy.
Henry and Dad were regular, everyday people, and Henry was fine with that.
Henry checked the clock and yelled, “Gotta go!”
“Not so fast!” said Dad. “We need a first-day-of-school picture!”
It took a few tries before they got the best one.
Henry’s first day of school was off to a very normal start.
But today was going to be anything but normal.
That was because Henry Heckelbeck had a secret.
He just didn’t know it yet.
About The Illustrator
(c) Priscilla Burris
Priscilla Burris is the illustrator and author-illustrator of many books for children. She attributes her love of children’s books and library visits to the East Los Angeles Library. Priscilla loves her role of creating characters and stories for readers everywhere. She lives in sunny Arizona, where she finds the sunrises and sunsets awe-inspiring.
Product Details
- Publisher: Little Simon (December 10, 2019)
- Length: 128 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534461048
- Grades: K - 4
- Ages: 5 - 9
- Lexile ® 590L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®
Browse Related Books
Awards and Honors
- Alaska Battle of the Books Lis
Resources and Downloads
Activity Sheets
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Henry Heckelbeck Gets a Dragon Hardcover 9781534461048
