Rufus and his sister Alexa hate each other at the best of times.

When Rufus's friend Phil manages to hypnotize Alexa, Rufus is ready to enjoy the power. They begin by ordering Alexa to be kind to her parents and Phil. The plan backfires when Alexa sweetly suggests canceling an expensive family vacation in favor of a week at home playing board games. Then Alexa turns on the charm with Phil and suddenly Rufus has to deal with a lovesick amateur hypnotist. Rufus is certain it can't get any stranger until Alexa, still in her hypnotic state, is kind to the brother she's always hated and Rufus is more confused than he's ever been.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Don Trembath began writing for keeps when he was 13 years old. He wrote horror stories at night and read them to his little brother as he tried to fall asleep. "Every morning I'd ask him if he'd had a nightmare and he'd say, 'No. Was I supposed to?' I soon abandoned horror stories and moved on to comedy. I read those stories to him and would ask him in the morning. 'Did you laugh?' One day he said, 'No, but I had a nightmare.'"

Don was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 22, 1963--the third youngest of four boys. In the winter he played hockey and in the summer football, baseball, and soccer. Between games, he went to school. At the age of 14, Don moved with his family to Alberta. He graduated from Paul Kane High School in St. Albert and went to the University of Alberta to study English. He has written for weekly and daily newspapers, local and national magazines, and a host of trade publications.
Don's first book, The Tuesday Cafe, was published in 1996. Since then he has written nine others, with two more, Daydream Believer and Hypnotized published in 2007. Don also teaches writing at MacEwan College in Edmonton, and regularly visit schools and libraries across the country.

Don currently lives in the town of Morinville, Alberta with his wife, Lisa, their three kids, three laid back cats, and their neighbor's big dog.

Don Trembath's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"Hypnotized does its job...A worthwhile addition to any bookshelf."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Quirky and funny with a nice sibling-rivalry bent...Very enjoyable."

Youth Services Book Review

"In the world of the special needs classroom or for lesser able readers, this book would intrigue and encourage the student to continue reading."

Resource Links

"The engaging plot...will captivate reluctant YA readers."

KLIATT