Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism - Softcover

Byng, Georgia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0330399853 ISBN 13: 9780330399852

Publisher: Pan MacMillan, 2002

Synopsis

A debut novel from an exciting new children's author that was greeted with unprecedented press coverage on its 2002 hardback publication. Molly Moon is an orphan who lives in a miserable home run by hairy-faced Miss Adderstone, who makes her clean the toilets with her toothbrush. But when she finds a mysterious book on hypnotism, Molly discovers her extraordinary talent. Soon she's hypnotised the cook to serve up fabulous meals and instructed Miss Adderstone to wear a pair of knickers on her head. Before long she's flying to New York where she hypnotises her way to stardom on Broadway. But hot on Molly's trail is sinister Professor Nockman, who's determined to use her unique powers to stage a spectacular bank robbery...

About this title

Review:

She might not be as photogenic as Harry Potter, but the charming Molly Moon makes up the difference in pluck in this somewhat similar story of a put-upon English orphan who finds that she has abilities beyond her wildest imagining.

Georgia Byng's debut novel has already swept to such success that it's due for translation in over 20 countries, with a movie version following close behind (produced by Harry Potter's David Heyman, natch). And with such a genuinely likeable (if straightforward) story and heroine, it's not hard to see why. Molly Moon struggles to survive in Hardwick House, an orphanage apparently run by and for caricatures--the beastly mistress Miss Adderstone and her bad-tempered pug, the muscly Gordon Boils (who tattooed "KING GORD" on the fingers of his fists with a compass and ink), creepy Roger Fibbin with his "sharp nose and cold, spying eyes." But as all wish-fulfillment adventures must go, Molly's life is changed one fateful day, as an arcane book draws out her special talent--she can hypnotize anybody to do anything she wants!

Byng makes good use of her otherwise mundane cast with plenty of wry asides (like Molly's fixation on the transformative promise of advertising), great running jokes (especially the metamorphosis of the orphanage's hard-boiled cook into a proud Italian capocuoco), some clever plot sleight-of-hand, and ample funny descriptions (as when Molly finds herself in the Royal Suite at the Waldorf: "She wasn't sure about the Jacuzzi. It was like ten monsters farting in her bath all at once."). (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes

About the Author:

Georgia Byng grew up in a large, noisy family in a house in Hampshire. She now lives in London with the conceptual artist Mark Quinn and her three children. Georgia loves to travel, whether it's flying off to India to research ideas for her new book or whizzing around London in her little electric car.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pan MacMillan
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0330399853
• ISBN 13: 9780330399852
• Binding: Paperback