"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 "
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.
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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
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
A fabulous read! It takes you an adventure like you've never been on before. It's full of super powers and spying and lots more.
This is a great read!
Jamaal never wanted to be a super hero until one night his friend, Myla, got kidnapped and he tried to rescue her from the evil Smoke. He was welcomed into a secret society called 'Phantom' where he became friends with Khaled, Lori, Olive and Rogan who wanted to help save his friend with him. On their quest they had to find clues with the help of the top secret organisation, fight super soldiers, protect a case and defeat Smoke once and for all.
With a mole in their society, will they succeed on their quest?
This story will appeal to fans of Spiderman and Alex Rider because it is full of spying and characters with super powers.... 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.
