Written by Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Hyun Son We published by Walker Books, ‘Relic Hamilton Genie Hunter’ is the first middle grade from Joseph Coelho (award-winning author and former Children’s Laureate 2022-2024) since his brilliant ‘Fairytales Gone Bad’ series, illustrated by Freya Hartas, also with Walker Books. Here he is back with an exciting new fairy tale fantasy adventure series infused with poetry. There are a total of 40 chapters including a prologue and an epilogue, illustrated character cards with data much like you’d find on Pokémon card or something similar. It’s sufficiently nerdy, with some ‘genie’-us wordplay, and heartwarming storylines around friendships family and being true to oneself.

I love how Joseph has leaned into his passion for and training in archaeology for this new book! Meet Relic Hamilton, a 12 year old boy who has had a wonderful bond with his grandfather from whom he has inherited an interest in history, culture, and curiosity. Connecting with today’s young people right from the get go, the prologue is a welcome to a YouTube channel (Relic’s). Then delightfully, chapter one opens with a poem about mudlarking on the banks of the Thames with his Grandfather. Not unusual for middle grades, this story has its bullies and the bullies in the story (or perhaps they might be trolls) are Trevor, Abigail, and Peter - an interesting trio.

Throughout the story, the author makes it quite clear what his characters look like, which is something that if done delicately, sensitively and subtly is a great addition to the narrative. I personally feel it doesn’t always feel, right or necessary in a story and sometimes these things can be left out purposefully so you might have a name that’s quite ambiguous and it means that anyone reading the story can put themselves in the shoes of that person. With a very visual cast of characters in Relic Hamilton, the physical descriptions of a child or adult’s heritage, whether their fantasy or human, lends to the dynamism of the story arc, and the reader’s voyeuristic experience into the world of complex relationships and perhaps why the characters are the way they are.

I always feel that when Joseph writes his stories, he very much puts a lot of himself into books, and having had the privilege of meeting him a few times I can see a lot of his humility, his kindness and his very observational technique of writing with so much soul and connection to emotions. Relic’s grandfather has a home above his antique store which is beautifully named ‘Anansi Antiques’ (Anansi is one of the most important characters of West African, African American and Caribbean folklore) which is in Air Street in Soho in London - actually is a real street with so much character! I don’t know if the antique shop is there, it’ll be exciting to find out! There Relic finds refuge from the world… and it is in the basement this antique store where he polishes and matches and sorts items to sell. He finds comfort in his own quiet space and it’s one of these moments one day where he comes across a lamp and of course he polishes it…

As per the title of the book and the fantastic illustrations on the front cover you can guess what comes out of the lamp! A genie, of course! This genie is evil, out of control, powerful, in a VERY bad mood, and it’s also trying to get inside Relic’s mind. By the way, if you’re a fan of X-Men or anything Marvel related but I particularly draw on X-Men here ,it just gives me those feels, I really loved X-Men when I was a kid… I don’t know if Joseph likes X-Men but I’ll ask him next time I see him!! I could totally see a Relic Hamilton Marvel character or a comic book series… back to the review…

This is the point where we jump to a new character. Taya. Taya is on a London school trip (relatable for most readers going on school trips). She’s got quite a chip on her shoulder - perhaps understandably once you get to know her though. She doesn’t seem happy. She hates school. She’s tough. She loves horror. They happen to be walking through Soho when she stumbles across the discarded lamp from Relic’s grandfather’s antique shop. She’s probably not the best person to have come across this lamp right?

After Relic’s dealings with the all powerful evil genie he wakes up somewhere very strange. He seems to be in some sort of jet with a professor, a doctor and a very sick grandfather on the edge of death… and the stealthy jet is called ‘The Aladdin’. I love that this team of crimefighting genie hunters are archaeologists, not spies or assassins or some sort of trained military organisation. And the next time I’m in London, I’m going to look up the Institute of Archaeology and try and have a peer into the basement windows, because below the Institute of Archaeology is the Headquarters of the Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters. Now you know! There’s also another character part of the team called Rania who is a half genie half human and she is the Professor’s daughter… and I have to say that it seems like it’s love at first sight for Relic.

Shortly after arriving Relic starts to get his head round what’s going on in this new twist of fate, and the fact that he never knew his grandfather was part of this secret organisation somehow! OMG, another character comes onto the scene (I won’t tell you how/why) and becomes Relic’s mega cute fluffy orange magical sidekick called Gamber, who very much resembles, a kind of Pikachu-type character. It would’ve been very cute to have had an image of Gamber with Relic on the front cover I think. So much more happens with lamps including incredible ancient mythological powers - male or female who come to Relic’s rescue from all over the world. It’s fantastic!

And so the story weaves between the two realities of Relic and Taya whose lives become unwittingly more and more entwined. On one hand Relic needs to save his grandfather, and the only way he can do this is to destroy or capture the evil genie that has been unleashed, but on the other hand Taya, who is a very complex and troubled girl, needs some power in her own life - not just when she’s on her school trip and is affected by bullies and feels threatened and frustrated. It’s the evil genie who takes his chance to take advantage of Taya’s needing to be saved, and throughout the story the genie slowly takes Taya’s life force. In the end it’s not just grandfather that needs saving. What’s more? It turns out that Taya and Relic have more in common than they could imagine having lost loved ones and felt great sadness in their young lives already.

I have to hold myself back from telling you too much more about the plot of this story with its time travel, pirates, riddles and amazing AI tech (big up Humphrey, the bicycle any child would dream to own, think Knight Rider’s Kit). I really believe this is a lovely together read for a bedtime story for an older child aged 9+ where the child might not feel as confident to cope with a larger longer middle grade self-read. Simultaneously, for confident readers aged 9+ this is going to be a great adventure series for them to sink literary teeth into!

I applaud the author for drawing on ancient fairytales for his fiction writing for older children. There’s an earthing continuity to the magic of some of the original human storytellers from hundreds or thousands of years ago whereby their lessons learned, morals and miracles are just as relevant to our modern day stories in our own contemporary or futuristic civilisations and societies. ‘Relic Hamilton Genie Hunter’ gives the reader a tour of some London’s most recognisable attractions, especially for school trips. The author’s childlike imagination doesn’t feel contrived, and is joyfully seeming to flow from his imagination whether it’s through his poetry at the beginning of each chapter or the text accompanying the illustrator’s vivid black and white artwork. There are just enough secrets and a cliffhanger at the end to let you know that there is going to be a second book and, I’m very much looking forward to joining Relic and the team for a new adventure in a few months time.

A story from Joseph Coelho is something I look forward to any day of the week. He has an incredible way with words!

Relic Hamilton is a normal boy living with his grandfather in Soho, dealing with bullies, school work and missing his parents. We know little about Relic but we see him become a new version of himself throughout this story. In their antiques shop, Relic discovers a special box of lamps, six smaller ones surrounding a seventh larger lamp. By dusting it off, he unleashes a powerful genie intent on causing chaos and wreaking havoc to ensure his freedom from his prison.

Relic is suddenly whisked away with his unconscious grandfather aboard The Aladdin, a secret plane powered by the Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters. His grandfather is part of this society and now Relic may be a most powerful weapon for them to use in the fight to capture evil genies.

The one Relic inadvertently let loose has been taken by Taya, a fierce girl with a lot of wishes. The more she wishes, the less power she has over herself. Ravenna, the most powerful genie is taking over and making Taya ask for wishes she does not want, all in the name of freedom.

This is an exciting and new look at genie’s- not the grandeur we might associate with making wishes. These genie’s are rather unique looking and many are keen to cause chaos and disorder, all in anger over their treatment from humans.

Relic proves to be a brilliant character, one who starts to find his feet in this new society! Ending on enough of a cliffhanger to know you need to read more, this is a fantastic start to a new series!

"Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter" by Joseph Coelho is an enthralling fantasy adventure that promises to captivate readers with its imaginative storyline and richly developed characters. The novel introduces us to Relic Hamilton, a bold and cunning hunter of genies, who navigates a world where magic and the supernatural are part of everyday life. Coelho's storytelling is marked by its lyrical quality and his ability to create vivid, immersive settings. He deftly interweaves elements of folklore and mythology into a modern narrative, making the world of genie hunting both fascinating and accessible to readers.

The heart of the story lies in Relic's journey as she faces numerous challenges and uncovers ancient secrets. Coelho excels in character development, presenting Relic as a multifaceted heroine whose determination and resourcefulness drive the plot forward. The supporting cast adds depth and complexity, each character bringing their own unique perspective to the narrative. The book is a testament to Coelho's talent for blending action, mystery, and fantasy with a touch of moral contemplation, making "Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter" a compelling read for both young adults and adults who appreciate complex, well-crafted fantasy adventures.

What a great new direction from the last Children's laureate. I have loved his picture books for younger readers, but this is aimed at those who are in KS2. Full of magic and mythology, we take a roller coaster ride as Relic tries to battle against wicked genies, as well as trying to work with a secret organization of genie hunters.

12 year old Relic lives with his grandfather in London and loves nothing more than looking for treasure on the banks of the Thames. His grandfather runs the antiques shop under where they live and one day, whilst he's sorting out the basement, Relic comes across a brass lamp. When he polishes it, his life changes forever as a genie appears before him, a genie who is evil and feeds on hope. This leads to the discovery of a secret community of genie hunters, but when relic's grandfather falls unconscious, can they save him?
I know Joseph's writing as I loved his Fairy Tales Gone Bad, but this is the first of his novels I've read so I was looking forward to it.

Relic lives a fairly simple life with his grandfather and enjoys the time they spend together mudlarking; however, it's clear from the beginning that he is being bullied. He and his grandfather obviously have a close bond so when he releases the genie and his grandfather falls unconscious, he feels completely lost. The arrival of the Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters to help him comes at completely the right time but what they have to tell him changes his life forever. He is thrust into a world of technology, genies and discovering new things about the world ad himself on a daily basis.

What unfolds is an action-packed adventure and one that paints genies in a whole new light. We traditionally see them as gentle creatures there to grant wishes, but these genies are evil and intent on causing havoc; they will stop at nothing to get what they want and it's up to The Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters, and now Relic, to stop them.

I know that this will be a book that will go down well in school as readers will delight in the excitement, the peril and the technology that abound. Relic is a character that readers will be drawn to and the cliff-hanger ending will leave them wanting more.

This is a fun middle grade read, in which a 12 year old boy discovers unexpected adventures when he accidentally stumbles across a magical artifact.

Relic is an engaging MC, supported by an interesting cast of quirky characters in the form of the secret society of genie hunters he is comes into contact with after his own encounter with an evil genie.

I especially liked the multicultural aspect of this story, and I think it will have great appeal for readers of the target age group. It gets 3.5 stars.

Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter is an engaging MG adventure and fantasy book with a relatable main character, the twelve year old Relic.
We also have an evil genie, an underground academia, an illustration style that oozes motion.
I highly recommend this cute book.