Growing Up & Facts of Life
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Worst Broommate Ever! (1) (Middle School and Other Disasters)
In this hilarious first book in the Middle School and Other Disasters series, witch-in-training Heidi Heckelbeck juggles magical mishaps and everyday mayhem at her new boarding school. Featuring black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout and sparkly foil on the cover!
It's goodbye, Brewster Elementary and hello, Broomsfield Academy when Heidi starts middle school at the only school in the country that has secret classes for witches in training! Heidi is excited but nervous about living on her own and making new friends (and new crushes)! Her first day takes a turn for the worse when Heidi discovers her roommate is none other than her old rival, Melanie Maplethorpe!
Melanie is also less than thrilled, and the two find themselves engaged in an epic prank war. But when magic enters the mix, will the reluctant roommates go too far?
It's goodbye, Brewster Elementary and hello, Broomsfield Academy when Heidi starts middle school at the only school in the country that has secret classes for witches in training! Heidi is excited but nervous about living on her own and making new friends (and new crushes)! Her first day takes a turn for the worse when Heidi discovers her roommate is none other than her old rival, Melanie Maplethorpe!
Melanie is also less than thrilled, and the two find themselves engaged in an epic prank war. But when magic enters the mix, will the reluctant roommates go too far?
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Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1: Goodbye, Brewster! 1 GOODBYE, BREWSTER!
Okay, here we go.
I, Heidi Heckelbeck, am officially freaking out, so I hurl myself onto my bed.
Flump!
I bury my face in my pillow.
Please don't let boarding school be super, totally, and utterly horrible, I think.
Then I wonder:
Why in the world did I agree to go anyway?
I mean, sure, I definitely want to become a better witch, and yes, I'll put on a brave face, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm terrified of living away from home.
This is a life-changing step.
I roll over and grab a framed picture of my two best friends, Lucy and Bruce. There I am, standing in the middle, with one arm around each of them.
We look so happy by the pool!
This picture is definitely going with me-even though the sight of it tugs at my heart, and even though I hardly have any room left in my suitcases!
My door creaks open.
"Heidi?" Mom walks in with a stack of white towels. "Honey, what are you doing? We need to hit the road in less than an hour."
I push myself up to sitting and twist my hair into a messy bun.
"I'm having a moment."
Mom sets the towels on the bed beside me. "Well, it's totally natural to feel anxious before leaving for boarding school. To be honest, I was petrified."
It comforts me to know Mom was scared too.
"It's just that I'm going to miss everyone SO much."
Mom rests her hand on my shoulder.
"Remember, your friends and family will always be here. And now you get to make more friends."
She gives me a smile before continuing.
"It'll be an adventure! The rest of us will be missing you more than you'll be missing us. And you'll love Broomsfield Academy-just like Aunt Trudy and I did.
I promise."
I press the picture of my friends against my chest. Mom points to my duffel bags. "Now, time to finish packing."
I drop to my knees beside my new comforter, neatly folded inside a see-through plastic case.
This comforter is totally me.
It has ribbons of patchwork, with spirals, paisley, polka dots, and itty-bitty flowers. The other side has navy-and-white stripes. Navy pom-poms dangle from the edges. It'll look SO good on my bed at school. This makes me feel a smidge better.
Mom nudges me again.
Okay, okay.
I grab the towels and begin to shove them into an empty duffel bag.
"Tell me more about Broomsfield Academy." Mom's already told me about it a bazillion times, but it helps to talk about it.
"Well, as you know, it's the only school in the country that has secret classes for witches-in-training."
I sigh dreamily.
"I know! I wish I could take magic classes ALL day every day."
Mom laughs. "Well, you have to take regular classes like English, math, and science too."
I like all those subjects, but wouldn't they be way more fun if they had a bit more magic in them?
Like, what if I could enchant my books so the story would come to life in the classroom?
Or what if I could magically solve climate change in science class?
And I would definitely be psyched if my pencil could take notes all by itself! Think about it. No more cramped fingers or eraser dust!
Mom hands me a stack of sheets to pack with my towels, totally interrupting my thoughts.
She knows the way my mind works.
"Slow down, Li'l Miss Witch," she says. "Remember that ALL Broomsfield witches and wizards are sworn to secrecy."
She puts a hand on mine, and I turn to look at her. She locks eyes with me and continues.
"Heidi, absolutely none of the other students can find out about the School of Magic program. That's the beauty of Broomsfield Academy. The classes for magical students are hidden in what seems like a regular, run-of-the-mill boarding school. It's been this way for generations, and anyone who isn't a witch or wizard is none the wiser."
My mom always stresses this point.
It's like she thinks I'll be the ONE witch in the school's 150-year history to spill the beans!
Not a chance.
I LOVE secrets!
And I've never given away my own witch identity in all my life, so why would I start NOW?
Mom zips one of my suitcases. "And more important, you're not supposed to practice magic outside class," she adds as if I didn't know.
Blah, blah, blah, I say in my head, trying to block out this information.
But the truth is, not pr...
Okay, here we go.
I, Heidi Heckelbeck, am officially freaking out, so I hurl myself onto my bed.
Flump!
I bury my face in my pillow.
Please don't let boarding school be super, totally, and utterly horrible, I think.
Then I wonder:
Why in the world did I agree to go anyway?
I mean, sure, I definitely want to become a better witch, and yes, I'll put on a brave face, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm terrified of living away from home.
This is a life-changing step.
I roll over and grab a framed picture of my two best friends, Lucy and Bruce. There I am, standing in the middle, with one arm around each of them.
We look so happy by the pool!
This picture is definitely going with me-even though the sight of it tugs at my heart, and even though I hardly have any room left in my suitcases!
My door creaks open.
"Heidi?" Mom walks in with a stack of white towels. "Honey, what are you doing? We need to hit the road in less than an hour."
I push myself up to sitting and twist my hair into a messy bun.
"I'm having a moment."
Mom sets the towels on the bed beside me. "Well, it's totally natural to feel anxious before leaving for boarding school. To be honest, I was petrified."
It comforts me to know Mom was scared too.
"It's just that I'm going to miss everyone SO much."
Mom rests her hand on my shoulder.
"Remember, your friends and family will always be here. And now you get to make more friends."
She gives me a smile before continuing.
"It'll be an adventure! The rest of us will be missing you more than you'll be missing us. And you'll love Broomsfield Academy-just like Aunt Trudy and I did.
I promise."
I press the picture of my friends against my chest. Mom points to my duffel bags. "Now, time to finish packing."
I drop to my knees beside my new comforter, neatly folded inside a see-through plastic case.
This comforter is totally me.
It has ribbons of patchwork, with spirals, paisley, polka dots, and itty-bitty flowers. The other side has navy-and-white stripes. Navy pom-poms dangle from the edges. It'll look SO good on my bed at school. This makes me feel a smidge better.
Mom nudges me again.
Okay, okay.
I grab the towels and begin to shove them into an empty duffel bag.
"Tell me more about Broomsfield Academy." Mom's already told me about it a bazillion times, but it helps to talk about it.
"Well, as you know, it's the only school in the country that has secret classes for witches-in-training."
I sigh dreamily.
"I know! I wish I could take magic classes ALL day every day."
Mom laughs. "Well, you have to take regular classes like English, math, and science too."
I like all those subjects, but wouldn't they be way more fun if they had a bit more magic in them?
Like, what if I could enchant my books so the story would come to life in the classroom?
Or what if I could magically solve climate change in science class?
And I would definitely be psyched if my pencil could take notes all by itself! Think about it. No more cramped fingers or eraser dust!
Mom hands me a stack of sheets to pack with my towels, totally interrupting my thoughts.
She knows the way my mind works.
"Slow down, Li'l Miss Witch," she says. "Remember that ALL Broomsfield witches and wizards are sworn to secrecy."
She puts a hand on mine, and I turn to look at her. She locks eyes with me and continues.
"Heidi, absolutely none of the other students can find out about the School of Magic program. That's the beauty of Broomsfield Academy. The classes for magical students are hidden in what seems like a regular, run-of-the-mill boarding school. It's been this way for generations, and anyone who isn't a witch or wizard is none the wiser."
My mom always stresses this point.
It's like she thinks I'll be the ONE witch in the school's 150-year history to spill the beans!
Not a chance.
I LOVE secrets!
And I've never given away my own witch identity in all my life, so why would I start NOW?
Mom zips one of my suitcases. "And more important, you're not supposed to practice magic outside class," she adds as if I didn't know.
Blah, blah, blah, I say in my head, trying to block out this information.
But the truth is, not pr...
