By Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie (author) Part of the Jamaal Target series
"With all the fast-paced action and appeal of Alex Rider or Young Bond and an ‘ordinary’ hero with superpowers to rival Marvel, this debut is a thrilling start to an accessible and entertaining new series "
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September 2026 Book of the Month
12-year-old Jamaal Target’s ordinary life with his foster mother Gala, takes off in a completely different direction when a near miss road accident triggers enhanced physical abilities that he cannot believe are possible.
At the same time, he is being followed by mysterious looking men. When he tries to confront them, it ends up with his best friend Myla being kidnapped. His equally mysterious female rescuer turns out to be part of a secret organisation called PHANTOM. There he discovers information about the super-strong soldiers chasing him and about his parents, whom he never knew and an unexpected role for his foster mother.
Can Jamaal help PHANTOM fight a sinister villain – and rescue Myla despite their insistence he should stay safe? Will his stubbornness just make matters worse?
Jamaal and his PHANTOM compatriot Lori and the indomitable and lively Myla are all vividly engaging characters, and it is the strength of the relationships portrayed which give warmth and heart to the story. We see Jamaal grow in confidence and self-belief throughout the story, from the authentic Own Voices portrayal of the insecurity of a young black boy growing up in the care system; trying anxiously to stay out of trouble at home and avoid the bullies at school, to a brave and morally upstanding combatant in the thrilling showdown.
Readers will love the chases across London, the technology and the feeling of being trapped in a computer game. With the stage set for the inevitable future confrontation with the supervillain and Jamaal ensconced as the youngest PHANTOM recruit, readers will undoubtedly be queuing up for the next in a series which is perfectly pitched to attract both confident and reluctant readers of 9+.
Alex Rider meets Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse in this fast-paced, action-packed middle-grade series about a 'normal' boy who discovers he has superpowers and is destined to join an elite yet secret organisation.
Read the full description
There's nothing special about Jamaal Target. He's your average twelve-year-old boy who lives with his foster mum and likes to game with his best friend Myla. Until one day, everything changes . . .
When Myla is kidnapped in front of his eyes, Jamaal is pulled into a web of secrets and lies and the shadowy organisation known as PHANTOM. There he learns that he has inherited super strength, speed and heightened senses from the parents he never knew.
Forced to quickly put his new skills to the test, Jamaal finds himself on high-stakes missions across London, alongside teen PHANTOM Agent Lori Johnson. But does he have what it takes to save his best friend and put the bad guys away?
A brand-new action-adventure with a superhero twist written by the co-author of Marcus Rashford's The Breakfast Club Adventures series.
‘This commercial, accessible, pacy story offers a fresh modern take on the action-adventure genre’ The Bookseller
‘Fast-paced, action-packed and certain to entertain!’ Charlie Higson, author of The Enemy and Young Bond series
‘A breathtaking mix of action, adventure and super-powered fun!’ TOlá Okogwu, author of the Onyeka series
‘Perfect for Marvel fans who want a pacy read with a brilliant main character’ Emma Swan, author of the Cruise Ship Kid series
‘With shades of Alex Rider, Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent is a thrilling action-adventure told by an exciting new voice’ Benjamin Dean, author of The Boy Who Fell From the Sky
‘Right on target! This action-packed book has page-turning superpowers. It recruits you from page one and keeps up its relentless pace to the very end’ Chris Bradford, author of the Bodyguard series
‘One of the most exciting books I’ve read in years!’ Alex Falase-Koya, author of the Marv series
‘Jamaal Target is the secret agent that kids are going to be rooting for. A new hero is here!’ Abiola Bello, author of the Wild Magic series
‘The action never lets up, with more twists and turns than an out-of-control rollercoaster. Fresh, futuristic and full-throttle!’ Iqbal Hussain, author of The Night I Borrowed Time ‘
Part superhero, part secret agent, ALL ACTION. Loved this high-stakes, fast-paced thriller’ Alex Kirk, author of Robots Stole My Mum!
‘An electrifying start to this pacy action series’ Ashley Thorpe, author of The Boy to Beat the Gods
‘A thrilling, electrifying introduction to a brand-new action hero that readers are going to love. A phenomenal adventure’ Mayo Agard-Olubo, author of Kid Rex to the Rescue
Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie is a writer who was born and raised in north-west London and grew up in a fostering family. He first began his writing journey in late 2018, finding a passion for storytelling after graduating in History and Economics and realising he wanted nothing more to do with either subject. Since then, he hasn't looked back. His interests include action, fantasy, magical realism and historical fiction. He was part of the writing team who created the Future Hero series for Storymix and he co-writes The Breakfast Club Adventures series with Marcus Rashford. Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent is his solo debut under his own name.
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Will Jamaal thwart Sergeant Smoke? Find out in one of the best books I've ever read - and I've read a lot!
This is one of the best books I've ever read - and I've read a lot! The story is about an adopted child called Jamaal Target who is over at his friends house when he realises that it's time to leave. A completely black car rolls up outside the house; its licence plate is blank. When it eventually leaves after the strange silver people inside have finished surveying Jamaal's house (across the street), he leaves to go home. Suddenly the car appears out of nowhere, zooming along at high speed, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop! Jamaal does the first thing that comes to his mind: he jumps - and clears the entire car! This begins an imaginative thriller as Jamaal works together with the agency PHANTOM to defeat an evil man called Sergeant Smoke.... Read Full Review
Gripping book full of action and spies, you won’t be able to put it down!!
A super, action-packed, gripping book full of spies and agents. Never wanted to put it down and raced to find out what happens at the end.... Read Full Review
Full of adventure, interesting characters and a great storyline. A great book full of twists and turns about an ordinary boy whose life changes suddenly. He goes on adventures and learns how to defend himself.
I liked this book as it full of adventure and has interesting characters. After every chapter, I wanted to read on. It has 20 chapters in total. The storyline centres around Jamaal and how his life changes when strange things happen. He becomes part of a dangerous world and has to learn to defend himself. He is challenged and learns more about the people around him.... Read Full Review
Alex Rider meets Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse in this fast-paced, action-packed middle-grade series about a 'normal' boy who discovers he has superpowers and is destined to join an elite yet secret organisation.There's nothing special about Jamaal Target. He's your average twelve-year-old boy who lives with his foster mum and likes to game with his best friend Myla.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Stories about Family and Friends, Fantasy / Magical, School Stories, PSHE: Family Issues, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Adoption / fostering, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent was written by Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie and published by Puffin an imprint of Penguin Random House Children's UK
Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent has 318 pages
Yes it is part of Jamaal Target series
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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