Reggie Houser Has The Power - Helen Rutter

Reggie has ADHD which means he finds being in the classroom difficult. As he finishes primary school, and the summer holiday looms, he begins to worry about secondary school, that is until he wins a trip to Trontin's holiday park. Here he meets hypnotist Michael Gareth who manages to hypnotise Reggie. Amazed by the power of this, he decides he is going to learn how to hypnotise people so he can use it to make people finally like him in his new school.  To begin with, Reggie can use his powers for good, but what will happen when a group of boys befriend Reggie with ulterior motives?

Reggie is a character that I know readers are going to immediately warm to, and many will be thrilled to be able to see themselves reflected in him. His ADHD means that he is full of energy, his mind can wander quickly and he can be forgetful. He is often in trouble at school and with his mum, but all Reggie really wants is to feel that people like him and that he has friends. School can be tough and learning how to make friends is often one of the most difficult things children have to do - I remember it well from my school days all those years ago and my heart went out to Reggie. When Reggie meets Michael, he feels that this is the answer to his prayers and his obsessive research means that he quickly becomes good at hypnotising people.  

As with Helen's previous novels, Reggie Houser Has The Power perfectly combines humour with strong, important messages about acceptance, friendship and being yourself. In the course of the book, Reggie discovers a lot about himself and that he can use his powers for good as well as for his own gains.  What Reggie needs to discover though, is that his ADHD is his superpower and, instead of trying to fight it, he should embrace it.

Before the beginning of each chapter, readers will find 'do try this at home' tips, each of which can be tried on people as a way to 'hypnotise' them. They're great to read and have a go at ... the last one is my favourite and I can't wait to try it on my family! Want to know what it is? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out!

Publishing, 1st February, Reggie Houser Has The Power is a story full of heart, hope and hypnotic antics. It is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and show us that we all deserve to accept who we are.