Heidi Heckelbeck Tries Out for the Team Read online

  When the final bell rang, Heidi waited in the girls’ room until everyone had left for the day. Then she made a run for the bus. At the bottom of the stairs, she ran into Melanie. Melanie had been waiting for Heidi.

  “THERE you are!” she said.

  Heidi froze in horror as Melanie began one of her loud, annoying cheers:

  “Heidi! Heidi! Sis boom bah!

  Trips those hurdles!

  Rah! Rah! Rah!”

  This time something inside Heidi snapped. She walked right up to Melanie’s super-cheerleader face.

  “You know what?” Heidi said with a little snip in her voice. “You just gave me a GREAT idea.”

  Melanie planted her hands on her hips and sniffed. “So, what’s your BIG idea?”

  Heidi folded her arms. “I, Heidi Heckelbeck, am going to join the CHEERLEADERS,” she declared. “And YOU can’t stop me.”

  Melanie laughed dramatically. “NO WAY. YOU?” she questioned. “A cheerleader? Ha! That’s a GOOD one!”

  Heidi glared at Melanie.

  But Melanie shrugged her off. “Seriously, Heidi,” she went on, “you just don’t have the magic touch to be a cheerleader.”

  Heidi smiled devilishly. “Oh, we’ll see about THAT,” she said.

  Heidi whipped out her Book of Spells and opened it to the chapter on sports. She found one called the MVP Spell. “MVP” means “most valuable player,” Heidi said to herself. That’s exactly what I need! She flipped to it and read over the spell.

  Have you ever gone out for a sports team and had a bad tryout? Are you the kind of witch who can’t seem to dribble, bat, spike, or score? If you feel like a spaz when it comes to anything athletic, then this is the spell for YOU!

  Ingredients:

  3 blades of soccer field grass

  1 handful of home plate dirt

  1 drop of swimming pool water

  1 pom-pom

  Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Hold your Witches of Westwick medallion over your heart and place your other hand over the mix. Chant the following spell:

  Heidi hunted for the correct magical ingredients early Saturday morning. First she snipped a pom-pom off an old ski hat. No one will miss it, she thought. Then she hopped on her scooter and rode to the park. She crept onto the baseball diamond and scooped a fistful of dirt from near home plate. She dumped it into a snack bag. Then she snuck onto the soccer field and plucked three blades of grass. One more ingredient to go, she said to herself.

  Heidi scootered to the indoor pool and quietly entered the pool area. A blast of warm, steamy air washed over her. Voices echoed and water splashed as the swimmers practiced all their strokes. Heidi pulled out a small eyedropper from her backpack. She took a deep breath and hurried to the edge of the pool. She squeezed the rubber bulb on the top of the eyedropper and drew in some water.

  A girl in a blue bathing cap popped out of the water like a seal. She surprised Heidi. “Whatcha doing?” she asked.

  Heidi shoved the eyedropper quickly into her backpack. “Uh, science experiment,” she blurted out. “About science stuff.”

  The girl rested her arm on the edge of the pool. “Oh,” she said. “Do you go to Brewster?”

  Heidi didn’t dare answer. What if this girl said something about Heidi taking water from the pool? What if she got in trouble? Heidi backed away.

  “Gotta go!” Heidi said. Then she dashed out the door and scootered home.

  She put the magical ingredients in her desk drawer for safekeeping. Then a smile swept over her face. “I cannot wait to see the look on Smell-a-nie’s face when I cheer!”

  On Monday afternoon, Heidi ducked under the bleachers to cast her MVP spell. She pulled a small bowl from her backpack and squeezed a drop of swimming pool water into it. Plink! She added the three blades of soccer field grass, the handful of dirt, and the pom-pom. She held her medallion over her heart with one hand and held her other hand over the mix. Then Heidi quietly chanted the spell.

  “Swing, batter! Swing, batter!

  Run! Shoot! Score!

  MVP! MVP!

  The fans all roar!”

  Zap! A surge of energy raced through Heidi’s body. Whoa! she said to herself. I feel like I could do ANYTHING!

  Then she burst out from behind the bleachers and cartwheeled across the lawn to the cheerleaders. She grabbed a set of pom-poms and tapped Melanie on the shoulder.

  Melanie turned around and scowled at Heidi.

  “I’m ready!” Heidi said cheerfully. She had to jog in place because her body wanted to go, go, GO!

  “Do you even know a routine?” asked Melanie.

  Heidi had studied all the cheer moves the night before, so she knew exactly what to do. The spell would take care of the rest.

  “Ready when you are!” Heidi said.

  “Okay,” said Melanie with a snicker. “Feel free to completely embarrass yourself anytime.”

  The other cheerleaders watched Heidi to see what would happen.

  Heidi got into position. “Five, six, seven, eight!” she counted.

  Then Heidi did a spread-eagle jump, a toe touch, a Herkie, and a pike. She pointed her toes on every stunt and got great height. She even had a smile on her face the whole time.

  The cheerleaders gasped and clapped for Heidi. Melanie’s jaw dropped. Then Heidi tossed her pom-poms on the ground and did a series of back handsprings across the field and walkovers all the way back. Look at me! I’m amazing! she said to herself. I am completely UNSTOPPABLE!

  And it was true. Heidi had no off button. The spell made her want to be the best at EVERYTHING! Her body took off for the track. She sailed over every pesky hurdle. Then Heidi sprinted to the long jump and cleared the entire sandpit.

  Look out, baseball diamond! Here I come! she said to herself. Heidi charged onto the field. She caught a fly ball, tagged a base runner, and then she threw another player out—it was a triple play!

  Everyone cheered for Heidi, the sports star, as she zoomed over to the soccer field. Oh no! she cried to herself. Here I go AGAIN! Heidi snagged the ball in play and dribbled it down the field. All the players were totally confused, but that didn’t stop Heidi. She raced to the goal and kicked the ball with all her might. The goalie dove and missed as the soccer ball smacked against the back of the net. GOAL!!!

  Then Heidi bolted into the gym. She rushed right onto the volleyball court and spiked the ball as it came over the net. Wham! Heidi got the game-winning point! Then she fell to floor and rolled over flat on her back.

  Principal Pennypacker, who had been chasing her the entire time, blew his whistle. Then he helped Heidi to her feet. Together, they walked to his office and called her mother.

  She could hear all the kids outside chanting, “MVP! MVP! MVP!”

  Heidi buried her face in her hands. I’m not the MVP, she said to herself. I’m the MRP. The Most Ridiculous Player.

  Mom sat on the couch next to Heidi.

  “Okay, so what happened?” Mom asked gently. “Did it involve witching skills?”

  Heidi slumped her shoulders and nodded. “I just wanted to be good at one silly sport,” she mumbled. “But the spell made me great at all of them.”

  Mom put her arm around Heidi. “Sometimes magic can complicate problems rather than solving them. Did you find a sport you like?”

  Heidi shook her head.

  “Well, who knows? Maybe next time a sport will find you,” Mom said.

  Heidi’s stomach growled. “Right now I want some food to find me. Playing five sports in one day can make a kid hungry.”

  They both laughed and went to the kitchen to make a snack.

  The next day at recess Heidi stood in the four square line. A girl tapped Heidi on the shoulder. She turned to see the girl from the pool the other day.

  “I knew we went to the same school,” the girl said. “I’m Mia Marshall. I’m in third grade.”

  Heidi stepped forward in line. “I’m Heidi,” she said.

  Mia smiled. �
��I know, Ms. MVP,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “Your super sports stunts have made you famous at Brewster.”

  Heidi’s cheeks grew warm. “That was kind of a crazy day for me,” she admitted. “Believe it or not, I’m not really into any of those sports.”

  Mia nodded. “Same here,” she said. “That’s why I tried swimming. Do you like to swim?”

  Heidi nodded. “We go to the pool all the time in summer.”

  “Maybe you should join the swim team,” Mia suggested. “We swim every Saturday. It’s really fun.”

  Heidi had never thought of swim team. She laughed because it made so much sense. Heidi had always loved the pool.

  “Thanks, Mia,” she said. “Maybe I will sign up.”

  Heidi joined the Little Mermaids swim team on Saturday. She got a navy-blue swim suit with hot-pink stripes down the sides, along with a matching swim cap and goggles. She even got a T-shirt that said EAT MY BUBBLES on the back.

  The team had its first swim meet at the end of the month. Heidi spent the next few weeks training. Mia and the team’s coach, Ms. Poole, helped her learn all the strokes. She even learned how to dive and do a flip turn against the pool wall.

  When it was finally time for the swim meet, Heidi’s whole family, including Aunt Trudy, sat in the bleachers to watch.

  Heidi and the rest of the swimmers in the freestyle event stood on the starting blocks. Heidi tensed her stomach muscles to scare away the jitters.

  “Hello and welcome, everyone, to the first swim meet of the year,” said the announcer into his megaphone. “We’ll kick this off with the Little Mermaids versus the Dolphins.”

  He turned toward the swimmers. “Swimmers, take your marks!”

  Then he the blew whistle. Splash! The swimmers dove into their lanes.

  Heidi circled her arms perfectly and flutter kicked across the pool. The cool silkiness of the water washed over her back as she moved through the water. She listened to the splashing around her and the cheers from the stands.

  Heidi flip turned and swam hard to the other end of the pool. She touched the wall and held on to the ledge with one hand. Other swimmers finished after her. Well, at least I’m not LAST, she said to herself. Then the announcer called the winners. The Dolphins took first and second.

  “And third place goes to lane four, Heidi Heckelbeck!”

  Heidi pulled off her goggles in surprise. Me? she thought. I got third? No way!

  The winners stood on a platform in front of the bleachers. Then the coach handed out ribbons. She gave Heidi a yellow one.

  Everyone clapped and cheered for Heidi.

  Heidi waved proudly. And the best part is that I did it ALL BY MYSELF, she thought. Not one speck of magic!

  Then she smiled. Not that there’s anything wrong with a little magic—sometimes.

  Skippity skip!

  Hoppity hop!

  Jumpity jump!

  Heidi Heckelbeck, Lucy Lancaster, and Bruce Bickerson pranced along the path through Charmed Court Park. Bruce twirled a white Frisbee on the end of his pointer finger. Lucy hopped out of the way of two rollerbladers. Heidi stopped and pointed to a yoga class on the lawn.

  “Let’s see if we can do some of their poses!” she suggested.

  They watched the yoga instructor. Lucy bent over into a dolphin pose. Bruce wove himself into an eagle pose. And Heidi struck a lord of the dance pose. Then they dropped to the ground, laughing.

  “Now let’s play on the giant chessboard!” Lucy said, taking off. Heidi and Bruce followed close behind. They played hide-and-seek among the oversize chess pieces. Then they ran to the playground, slid down the slides, and swung on the monkey bars.

  “Let’s ride the zip line!” cried Heidi.

  Heidi climbed the curved ladder that led up to the wooden platform. Then she grabbed the cable and hopped onto the seat. The wire made a pleasing hum as she sailed through the air. She stuck out her feet, scrunched her knees, and pushed off the platform at the other end of the zip line, and back she went. Then Lucy and Bruce each had a turn.

  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’s able to visit other worlds through writing. Wanda lives in San Jose, California, with her husband and son. They have three cats: Hilda, Agnes, and Claw-dia.

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

  Little Simon

  Simon & Schuster

  New York

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  authors.simonandschuster.com/Wanda-Coven

  authors.simonandschuster.com/Priscilla-Burris

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  LITTLE SIMON

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  First Little Simon paperback edition January 2017

  Copyright © 2017 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Also available in a Little Simon hardcover edition.

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  Designed by Ciara Gay

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Coven, Wanda, author. | Burris, Priscilla, illustrator.

  Title: Heidi Heckelbeck tries out for the team / by Wanda Coven ; illustrated by Priscilla Burris. | Description: First Little Simon paperback edition. | New York : Little Simon, 2017. | Series: Heidi Heckelbeck ; #19 | Summary: After trying unsuccessfully to play a variety of school sports, Heidi turns to the Book of Spells. | Identifiers: LCCN 2016016200 | ISBN 9781481471725 (pbk) | ISBN 9781481471732 (hc) | ISBN 9781481471749 (eBook)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Sports—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction. | Magic—Fiction. | Witches—Fiction. | BISAC: JUVENILE FICTION / Readers / Chapter Books. | JUVENILE FICTION / Fantasy & Magic. | JUVENILE FICTION / Imagination & Play. | Classification: LCC PZ7.C83393 Hn 2017 | DDC [Fic]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016016200