MOLLY MOON'S INCREDIBLE BOOK OF HYPNOTISM

Tapping elements of Roald Dahl's tales of child empowerment and the orphans-on-the-run pacing of Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord, Byng creates a fresh debut novel about a girl with an unusual talent, which makes for a captivating audiobook via Burton's artful reading. The actor conveys a subtle brightness of tone throughout as she portrays Molly, a downtrodden child oft-ridiculed for her "droning" voice, who has lived in a bleak orphanage in England her whole life. When Molly learns that she has a knack for hypnotizing people—and animals, too—she begins a fanciful journey that leads her from her dreary existence to the high life as a pampered Broadway star in New York City. Burton's performance gathers steam right along with Molly's escalating self-confidence and a few adrenaline-pumping plot twists. A denouement of good guys vs. bad guys proves satisfying on all fronts. But listeners should take note: Burton's slow intonation during the various hypnotism passages may well create a trance-like state. Simultaneous release with the HarperCollins hardcover. Ages 8-12. (May)