Heather at the Barre

Magic Attic Club #3

by Sheri Cooper Sinykin

Attempting to impress her friends, Heather exaggerates her ballet dancing abilities and learns the importance of truth and friendship with a little help from the maggic attic.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile, Middle Grade, Adventure, Jewish

68 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Sheri Sinykin was lead author of the Magic Attic Club series in the mid-90s, and published nine other books for young readers. She lives in Wisconsin and in Arizona."

Reviews

[Katt Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did you ever have that dream where you're suddenly told to go out on stage, and you don't know the lines or where you're supposed to be or what you're supposed to do? (I don't even want to analyze this one. Or tell you how often I have it. I seriously need help...)

This book has a plot that reminds me a lot of that dream.

Heather is having a bad day - of her own making. She's exaggerating her own abilities, name-dropping, and otherwise not being a real great friend. And to everyone around her, it's just AWKWARD. Yeah, that moment. We've all been there.

So they retaliate by leaving her without a word which isn't a sign of great friendship on their part, leaving Heather to wander into the attic world all by herself where she finds out that those same traits that led her there, make for a real problem there. Adventure ensues.

And there's a plot hole...her foot is fine back in this world? Why?

I'd hoped the series would gain momentum as it went, but this book is so superficial that you can't help but feel the whole thing was designed just to sell a ballerina outfit for your doll. Which it was. There's just no substance to these books, and I'm not even all that sure any real lessons are learned by the reader.

By the end of the book, I didn't like Heather at all. And to be honest, I wasn't liking the other girls a whole lot either. I'm disappointed by this series because it had so much potential. Seriously, if you want books about girls having adventures you'd be a lot better off digging out the American Girl books. This is...just sad.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the one before it but again. How does she just instantly know the dance routine. I'm glad it didn't turn out perfect and I think she learned a good lesson in this story that is important for all young kids.

[Qui · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read these books when I was like five and loveddd them. Apparently they're out of print now. D:
That's a shame.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the series that teaches a valuable lesson!

[Rivkah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. I've always loved ballet.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today's lesson is to tell the truth, even when a lie would make you look better.

First, for the intro to me reading Magic Attic Club, go here.

More than any of the other early adventures, this one feels like a direct follow-up to The Secret of the Attic. Heather still feels insecure around her new friends, and wants more than anything to cement her position in the group. Which she tries to do by playing up her mom's friendship with a local ballet star. Except, womp womp, even she can't get more tickets because the show is sold out. I love the optimism of this world in which a ballet is completely, full-to-the-rafters sold-out, but okay.

Hurt feelings are always a cue for a trip to the attic in these books, so off she goes. With ballet on the brain, she picks a tutu and finds herself as the guest artist in a production of"Sleeping Beauty."

Thanks to the attic, she seems to have the skill level and the choreography she needs, but she doesn't have the confidence, and she doesn't know how to handle herself in the situation. (Is the mirror being selective about what knowledge it imparts? This is where I start overthinking these books, and don't get me started on the age thing.) Not wanting to seem ignorant, she makes some key mistakes, twists her ankle, and has to accept help.

Fortunately, the ankle injury doesn't seem to come home with her, but she does bring a new frame of mind to the situation with her friends. The solution doesn't hold up for me — the idea that a dancer could (or should) just invite four kids to hang out in the wings for the whole show is eyebrow-raising. But the quarrel is smoothed over and that's what matters.

Want more? Here are the other Magic Attic books I've babbled about.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book stressed me out when I was in elementary school, and it has now stressed me out again. Heather's behavior is realistically immature for her age, but it is very inconsistent with her behavior throughout the rest of the series. These books always require significant suspension of disbelief, but the difficulty of believing in the main character's behavior tanks this story.

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't care much for the Magic Attic Club, but the child enjoyed it, so there you are.This is why my children had their own library cards by the time they were one: it takes a lot of board books (and picture books, and animal books, and graphic novels, and middle grade books, and so on) to keep a child invested in reading. The freedom to choose was, within the library, absolute.

Library copy

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather at the Barre (Magic Attic Club #3) by Sheri Cooper Sinykin - Have fun with Heather on this ballet adventure from the magic attic! Happy Reading!