Review: Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter

Written by Joseph Coelho

Illustrated by Hyun Song We

Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2026. Fiction. 279 pages.

Relic Hamilton is used to seeing odd, old items. He does work in his family's antique store, after all. What he doesn't know is that the old lamps he sees hidden under the floor in the basement contain magical beings, some of whom are intent on destroying the world. After he accidentally releases Ravenna, an evil genie who wants to trap all humans in lamps like he has been trapped, Relic must team up with the Hermitic Sodality of Genie Hunters to track down the girl who ended up with the lamp and get it back before it's too late. Luckily the rest of the lamps contain magical sprites that can help him on his journey.

This is a great fantasy for kids who have ever been obsessed with Aladdin and wondered what they would do with three wishes of their own. Relic's adventures will keep kids engaged while reading and waiting in anticipation for the next book in the series (which hopefully will release stateside soon! This one's a British import.)

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