MOLLY MOON STOPS THE WORLD
by Georgia Byng
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060514108
Ages 8-12
384 pages

The young British hypnotist Molly Moon is back --- and ready to use her powers to mingle with Hollywood's hottest stars at the Academy Awards! Author Georgia Byng introduced readers to the unlucky orphan Molly Moon in her debut novel MOLLY MOON'S INCREDIBLE BOOK OF HYPNOTISM. In this first effort, Molly stumbles upon a mysterious book about hypnotism and discovers that she has a hidden talent to hypnotize anyone into getting what she wants. Molly is able to change her dreary, miserable life in the orphanage into a happy one and she also uses her powers to win a talent show competition in New York City.

MOLLY MOON STOPS THE WORLD brings back many of the characters from the first book --- including Molly's best friend and co-conspirator Rocky and her lovable pug Petula, who makes the covers of these books so appealing! Molly's life at the orphanage is now filled with friendship and happiness.

One afternoon Molly's librarian friend, Lucy Logan, asks her to go on a special mission. Famous child star Davina Nuttel is missing, and Lucy thinks she knows who might be involved in the kidnapping. She has pieced together information on an American billionaire, Primo Cell. Cell owns hundreds of companies and makes his businesses even more successful through celebrity endorsements --- but how does he do it? Lucy has a theory: "Hypnotic power goes to bad as well as to good people. Bad people who can hypnotize are very greedy and destructive. This businessman is very dangerous."

And worst of all, Cell has found a way to use his hypnotic powers to permanently hypnotize his subjects. He must be stopped, and it's up to Molly Moon to help!

With a little hypnotizing and persuasion, Molly arranges for Mrs. Trinkelbury, the headmistress of the orphanage, to take a group of the orphans to Los Angeles for a vacation. While in LA, Molly, Rocky and Petula head off to find Primo Cell and find out exactly how he controls the minds of celebrities --- and along the way, Molly discovers an amazing new power of her own.

MOLLY MOON STOPS THE WORLD is a fun-filled thrill ride of a story. Molly Moon's exciting adventures with hypnotism take her to the Academy Awards, parties with celebrities and dangerous, life-threatening experiences. Lemony Snicket fans will especially enjoy the creepy villains and brilliant, heroic children. The plot has many twists and turns that will keep readers in suspense throughout the book --- and leave them wanting more Molly Moon stories!

   --- Reviewed by Kristi Olson (zooey24@yahoo.com)

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