The name Gordon Korman is synonymous with blockbuster. The kidlit icon’s plots are almost always drenched in action, suspense, cliffhangers, and delightful twists that barely straddle the line of believability, making him a kind of Michael Bay of children’s books. It seems only natural that, in this first instalment of a new series, he is turning his attention to a storyline involving world domination via hypnotism.

Twelve-year-old Jackson Opus (Jax for short) has colour-changing eyes and a mysterious knack for getting people to do what he wants. Jax is accidentally hypnotizing people left and right before he is summoned by Sentia, a covert, elite institute devoted to the advancement of the hypnotic arts. Under the guidance of the debonair Dr. Mako, Jax hones his craft – until he discovers the evil doctor’s malicious plot to take over the world.

Korman fans won’t find any surprises here, as the author relies on many tried-and-true building blocks from his other hugely popular series. From the reluctant hero and his wisecracking best friend to the good guys’ inability to involve the authorities for a quick resolution, there is an undeniable feeling of familiarity and formula. But Korman knows his audience well enough to balance the expected with the unusual, which in this case are the details about remote hypnotism and a phenomenon called “blowback,” which results in Jax having to experience the internal thoughts and feelings of the people he hypnotizes. The author also weaves a speculative element into the mix as Jax learns about how his similarly gifted ancestors played pivotal roles in some of history’s most important moments.

Korman puts the hype in hypnotic with a story that reads like Pop Rocks for the brain and is sure to mesmerize its middle-grade audience.