What do you think?
Rate this book
Henry Heckelbeck #1
Henry Heckelbeck Gets a Dragon
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.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published December 10, 2019
63 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 20, 2020
A great addition to the ever growing early chapter book series category. Loved getting to know Heidi little brother in this first in the series.
May 10, 2021
The kids thoroughly enjoyed this and wanted a second read. It was okay for me -- nothing wow, extremely short, but I'll give four stars for the appeal to the target audience. Illustrations are darling (by the same illustrator who does the Humphrey the Hamster early chapter books). I must say, I've never read the Heidi Heckelbeck series, but she sure seems annoying and, dare I say, bratty the few times she appears in this book, so I'm not inclined to share that series with my kids though Henry was a nice kid and we will look for more of his books. (Fans of Heidi, let me know if I'm missing something here! I know she's popular.)
April 12, 2022
I really like this series.
October 17, 2022
Sweet and simple early chapter book. Took me 2-3 nights to read aloud with my kids. The print was really large and chapters were short. My 8 year old could have read this one himself. We will look for Book 2 of the series.
November 27, 2025
My son was a big fan
December 6, 2025
I don't know.
September 12, 2025
Great early chapter book for a second grader!
May 13, 2024
3. Cute enough. Felt bad for the dragon, though.
March 9, 2021
The first in a series of books about the adventures and everyday challenges of Henry Heckelbeck.
Unlike other members of his family, Henry is not a witch nor does he possess any magical powers and he is absolutely fine with that. He quite enjoys being normal and is excited about the start of the new school year. When class teacher, Ms. Mizzle, tasks the children with a special ‘All About Me’ project involving finding three objects to put in a bag that show the class who they are Henry is excited about what he might choose. Whilst getting his toy dragon for the project off the top shelf, Henry inadvertently pulls down an old book and inside he finds one of his medals and a dragon spell. Chanting the spell brings his dragon to life but he doesn’t realise this until it is too late. And the next day, when he goes to show his best friend Dudley his bag, the dragon is not there, just a scorched hole in the bag that looks strangely like the work of a very much alive fire-breathing dragon…
This is the kind of thing that I’m sure lots of children would thoroughly like to happen. But as Henry discovers, you should be careful for what you wish for because having a real-life dragon on the loose at school brings quite a few problems. The school scenario will be very familiar to young readers - bring to school items from home that reveal things about yourself. What is hopefully less familiar is toys coming to life and causing a little bit of mischief. It all makes for some light-hearted fun that young readers will find entertaining.
This is an ideal first book for readers who are new to chapter books. The story is told over ten short chapters which provide plenty of opportunities for reading the story over a few days and will allow readers to quickly build up their reading stamina. The text is large and the story is told in simple sentences. Black and white illustrations feature on almost every page and portray diverse characters - Henry’s best friend and teacher are both black as are some of the other children in the class.
A fun read that combines fantasy and magic with the everyday experiences of school and home.
Recommended for 5+.
Unlike other members of his family, Henry is not a witch nor does he possess any magical powers and he is absolutely fine with that. He quite enjoys being normal and is excited about the start of the new school year. When class teacher, Ms. Mizzle, tasks the children with a special ‘All About Me’ project involving finding three objects to put in a bag that show the class who they are Henry is excited about what he might choose. Whilst getting his toy dragon for the project off the top shelf, Henry inadvertently pulls down an old book and inside he finds one of his medals and a dragon spell. Chanting the spell brings his dragon to life but he doesn’t realise this until it is too late. And the next day, when he goes to show his best friend Dudley his bag, the dragon is not there, just a scorched hole in the bag that looks strangely like the work of a very much alive fire-breathing dragon…
This is the kind of thing that I’m sure lots of children would thoroughly like to happen. But as Henry discovers, you should be careful for what you wish for because having a real-life dragon on the loose at school brings quite a few problems. The school scenario will be very familiar to young readers - bring to school items from home that reveal things about yourself. What is hopefully less familiar is toys coming to life and causing a little bit of mischief. It all makes for some light-hearted fun that young readers will find entertaining.
This is an ideal first book for readers who are new to chapter books. The story is told over ten short chapters which provide plenty of opportunities for reading the story over a few days and will allow readers to quickly build up their reading stamina. The text is large and the story is told in simple sentences. Black and white illustrations feature on almost every page and portray diverse characters - Henry’s best friend and teacher are both black as are some of the other children in the class.
A fun read that combines fantasy and magic with the everyday experiences of school and home.
Recommended for 5+.
February 15, 2022
It's the first day of school and Henry Heckelbeck is very excited. He and his best friend are on the case of what their new teacher will be like. They pull together the information they've acquired, and then at school see if they were correct. Henry is also curious about the new kid, and has to find 3 things for his All About Me assignment. In the process of picking things for the project, Henry discovers a magic book that says it can change his toy dragon into a real dragon. But will it work? And what will happen if it does?
A quick easy read with large font and illustrations scattered throughout that's a good pick for kids just starting into chapter books. Henry is a pretty likable, fairly realistic young boy with a touch of magic. The plot was pretty simple and solved quickly. It is really hard to find lower grade books that star a boy, especially in the fantasy genre, so this series is a great addition to the library. His sister Heidi and mom are called a witches, but they are nice and use their magic only for good. I liked that the illustrations portrayed Henry's best friend and teacher as people of color. Hand this to young wanna be sleuths who like dragons and soccer.
A quick easy read with large font and illustrations scattered throughout that's a good pick for kids just starting into chapter books. Henry is a pretty likable, fairly realistic young boy with a touch of magic. The plot was pretty simple and solved quickly. It is really hard to find lower grade books that star a boy, especially in the fantasy genre, so this series is a great addition to the library. His sister Heidi and mom are called a witches, but they are nice and use their magic only for good. I liked that the illustrations portrayed Henry's best friend and teacher as people of color. Hand this to young wanna be sleuths who like dragons and soccer.
July 21, 2021
I was so happy when I found this book. This was going to be the first book that my kid would read ON HIS OWN. Start to finish, I would be there to help him, but every word would be uttered from his mouth.
Yeah, that did not happen.
He through such a fit when we started it. He did not want to grow up. We spent about 2 weeks, with him reading one or two pages at a time, with regular tantrum and streams of tears.
Then, I just kind of gave up. It sat, unread, for weeks. And then the library said "Hey, give us that book back." So I had to decide to read it as a bed time book or just admit complete defeat.
I read it as a bed time book and it was so easy. A perfect starter book for kids learning to read. Nothing to hard, a decent enough story. And he said that he liked the book alot at the end. He wants to read more of them.
I have no interest in them, because it took me about 10 minutes to read the 40 or so pages that he labored over for weeks. It is not meant for me to read to him - at least not at this age. So if we get the next book, he better be ready to read it.
Yeah, that did not happen.
He through such a fit when we started it. He did not want to grow up. We spent about 2 weeks, with him reading one or two pages at a time, with regular tantrum and streams of tears.
Then, I just kind of gave up. It sat, unread, for weeks. And then the library said "Hey, give us that book back." So I had to decide to read it as a bed time book or just admit complete defeat.
I read it as a bed time book and it was so easy. A perfect starter book for kids learning to read. Nothing to hard, a decent enough story. And he said that he liked the book alot at the end. He wants to read more of them.
I have no interest in them, because it took me about 10 minutes to read the 40 or so pages that he labored over for weeks. It is not meant for me to read to him - at least not at this age. So if we get the next book, he better be ready to read it.
September 27, 2020
Henry Heckelbeck gets a dragon is 119 pages long. This book is about Henry Heckelbeck has a mystery to solve about how is toy dragon turned into a real dragon? He was taking somethings to school for show and tell. He took things that he liked or things that represented him. So in the brown paper bag he put his remote control dragon and his magnifying glass because he likes to be a spy. Another object he had in his bag was his goalie gloves.
I liked this book because it talks about when we were in kindergarten and how we brought items with you like he did. My favorite character is henry the little boy because all he wanted to do was to be a spy and solve mysteries. This book is a series and they also wrote a book about his sister heidi Heckelbeck. That is why I liked this book.
I liked this book because it talks about when we were in kindergarten and how we brought items with you like he did. My favorite character is henry the little boy because all he wanted to do was to be a spy and solve mysteries. This book is a series and they also wrote a book about his sister heidi Heckelbeck. That is why I liked this book.
October 29, 2021
beginning chapter book, dragons, magic - Henry is the brother and son of a witch. He is non-magical as is is father, but his mother and sister have magical powers. The book starts on Henry's first day of school with a new teacher. She brings a bag that contains 3 things to share with the class about her and she challenges them to do bring 3 things that will fit in the bag that they can bring to share with the class. What ensues is a fun adventure with easy to decode words for the emerging reader who is ready for the challenge of a chapter book.
September 24, 2022
He had to take some things to school to describe his own self. He found only 2 things out of 3 to take. Then he looked behind and found a dragon - but it was out of his reach. When he tried to take the dragon out of the shelf everything fell. And then he found a magic spell book and turned the dragon into a real one. Then he took the real dragon to school - but it was small so fit in his bag. Everyone played with his dragon thinking its a toy. Dragon flew away and no one could find it. Henry found it!
October 28, 2022
Henry gets his own series. Heidi's little brother discovers he can cast spells too when he brings his toy dragon to life on the first day of school. He and Dudley discover this when it flies out of the bus window on the second day. Fortunately, he finds it and turns it back into his toy. He also meets a new student, Max, who is Melanie's cousin. Lots of hints of adventures and conflicts to come. Mid-elementary level readers will enjoy the humor as they relate to Henry and his friends.
September 12, 2024
I thought this book was great! It would definitely provide a good laugh for younger students! Henry brings a toy dragon, that he turns real using his newly found magic, to school in his all about me bag. The other students witness the dragon flying through the classroom but Henry is able to cover it up that it was a remote controlled dragon. I would use this book in my classroom in my library where students could pick it up to read for enjoyment!
September 10, 2020
Fun little story. Chapter 1 ends on a secret! The first day of school has an assignment: bring 3 items that describe them. What will Henry bring. As he’s trying to reach one of his favorite toys on top of his bookcase, an old book falls to the floor. Henry starts reading and things change after that!
February 7, 2021
henry is a normal kid, his sister and mother are both magical, so are all the other females in the family. although he finds his sisters spell book and finds a way to make his toy turn into a real dragon! he has to find a way to bring it back into a toy.
the dragon makes so much trouble its starting to get on henrys nerve.
the dragon makes so much trouble its starting to get on henrys nerve.
January 25, 2023
This is a perfect early chapter book for a 1-3 grader. My son picked this to read for his daily reading time (homeschool), and he prefers to read together alternating pages. I was not gripped by the actual plot or characters though, they fell a little flat for me. My son wants to read more in the series so we’ll try a few more in the coming weeks.
October 3, 2025
Being a normal kid and doing magic with a book of magic and even by just wishing was really unacceptable! So what would be the difference between a witch and normal person?! If you are trying to make me believe that Henry is a normal boy but his sister is a witch, so why do you put sth like that in your book? I really can’t understand….
March 1, 2020
Henry is Heidi’s younger brother, and though he and his dad are not magical like the females in the family, Henry finds a magic book and is able to make magic. It’s long for an easy chapter book, but there are literally two sentences on each page because the font is so big.
September 4, 2021
How did I not know about this series? Excellent easy chapter book with boy appeal, lots of picture support, and a cute story line! Now I want to read one from his sister’s series, even available in Spanish.
May 8, 2023
my favorite part is when henry heckelbeck climbs up his bookshelf to try to get his remote control dragon down and he uses a spell to turn it into a real dragon but he doesn't know that and then the dragon turns real in the school and is flying around the classroom then he turns it back into a toy
February 28, 2024
My son has recently started reading chapter books and is very much enjoying this series! I try to read all the chapter books that both of my kids read. This was a very cute book and an enjoyable back-to-school story. Henry is a cute character.
January 26, 2025
Pretty cute early reader book. The illustrations are sweet & there's a bit of an "adventure" aspect with the dragon, even though the setting is mostly in school. I thought this was a good series introduction & did a good job introducing new (to me) characters.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
December 13, 2019
Very cute series about Heidi’s younger brother and how he finds out that he can also perform magic. Cute characters great recommendation for very new chapter book readers.
January 3, 2020
A cute start to a new easy chapter book series. Fans of Heidi Heckelbeck will enjoy seeing her little brother discover magic of his own.
Read
January 23, 2020easy read, series
March 15, 2020
I can’t wait to recommend this book to every patron who wants on level reading of Princess and Black and Stink!
June 8, 2020
Ella loves Heidi Heckelbeck, so Ani and I gave this spin-off series a try. It's cute and quick with large text and lots of (black and white) illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews