Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek

Jax Freeman

by Kwame Mbalia

The award-winning author of the best-selling Tristan Strong trilogy has created a secret world where kids can wield magic by summoning the power of their ancestors

What do you get when you combine Kwame Mbalia's incredible imagination and world-building talent with trains, history, and ghosts? Nothing less than middle grade magic.

On his twelfth birthday, Jackson "Jax" Freeman arrives at Chicago's Union Station alone, carrying nothing but the baggage of a scandal back in Raleigh. He's been sent away from home to live with relatives he barely knows. But even worse are the strangers who accost him at the train station, including a food vendor who throws dust in his face and a conductor who tries to steal his skin.

At his new school, Jax is assigned to a special class for "summoners," even though he has no idea what those are . . . until he accidentally unleashes an angry spirit on school grounds. Soon Jax is embroiled in all kinds of trouble, from the disappearance of a new friend to full-out war between summoning families.

When Jax learns that he isn't the first Freeman to be blamed for a tragedy he didn't create, he resolves to clear his own name and that of his great-grandfather, who was a porter back in the 1920's. By following clues, Jax and his schoolmates unlock the secrets of a powerful Praise House, evade vengeful ghosts, and discover that Jax may just be the most talented summoner of all.

A unique magic-school fantasy from the best-selling and award-winning author of the Tristan Strong trilogy has just pulled into the station.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Humor, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens

480 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't been this conflicted about a book in awhile. The rating is basically my average between the weakest and strongest elenents and I'm on the fence about recommending it. What was good was actually pretty great, but I have a *lot* of notes. Let's get into it.

A major dust-up at school sends Jax packing to Chicago to stay with relatives. Unfortunately, the phrase "out of the frying pan, into the fire" has never been more applicable. Almost immediately upon his arrival he exhibits strange new powers/visions and finds himself under attack. He learns that he's tapping into a larger magical legacy, though it's hard to enjoy it when the five Summoner families all seem to want a piece of each other and somehow his family may be in the middle of it.

First the good. Rick Riordan's PO Percy Jackson series kicked off a host of magical adventure series that are full of mythology and cultural representation. A lot of them have been good, but Jax as a character feels like a truer Percy heir than most. He's legitimately funny and kind of a screw up but in a well-intended failing forward kind of way that's pretty wonderful.

As a Chicago girl, I appreciate the setting and love how Mbalia incorporates the city's close relationship with rails and makes that and the history and legacy of Pullman porters part of the magic. As a reader I love all the references to Gullah practices and traditions. When everything is working, there's a nice groundedness in the magic that isn't always necessarily there in some of the more specifically mythology-centered series.

But. There was *so much* happening here. Partly it may be my ADHD brain but while I loved the individual elements on their own, the plot was super confusing. I couldn't fully explain to you even now the logistics of The Shriek, the full range of Jax's summoning abilities, the explanation of the drastically different versions of his family history, what is going on with other magical families/gangs, and on and on. I would put the book down and come back to it having a devil of a time figuring out where I left off.

I feel like I should know more at the end than I do and I'd even consider a reread but don't think I have enough energy for it. Kind of like Jax and company ( I think?) do with The Shriek, I just kind of clambered on and tried to stay on my feet as it took me for a wild ride. Sometimes I'm okay with that in a book, especially with such good core elements, like the characters and some of the world building, but here it was just too disorienting.

[Emily Cissell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jax Freeman is an absolute banger of a book! Kwame does such an amazing job at making you feel like you are right in the books with his characters. Right from the start you are pulled into this story wondering what could have possibly happened to make his parents ship him off to a whole new city on his own before you are thrown into a world full of magic and communicating with the ancestors. This book made me laugh, made me tear up, and made me mad that the rest of the books aren't out yet! I cannot wait to put this into my library and promote it to my students. Make sure you pick this one up on October 1st when it releases!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get hooked by this, more so than with Tristan Strong, partly because I wasn’t at all familiar with the magic system or the mythology. I don’t know if this story’s magic is based at all on real mythology, but I found it interesting trying to figure it out. Jax is in 6th grade, but he is big for his age, like people think he’s in high school or older. In part because of his size, he gets into trouble in his hometown in North Carolina and is thus shipped off to Chicago to live with his Uncle Moe and grandmother. While most of the kids in this story have grown up steeped in their ancestor magic, Jax thinks he is hallucinating when he first starts seeing strange things. Before you know it, he’s caught up into something he knows nothing about. But he’s a quick learner, or at least he has to be, and I like that even when he makes mistakes, he does it mostly out of ignorance, but he’s learns quickly and he’s willing to admit his shortcomings. I also like how he chose to be friends with Nina and Devin, as well as Toussaint “Two Saint” regardless of sides and factions, but he didn’t choose it just to be contrary. Rather he thought it about it and came to a conscious decision to do so. I also really enjoyed the teasing and interactions between them. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and can recommend it, especially if you were a fan of the Tristan Strong series. I can’t wait for the next story, which is nicely set up at the end, without being a cliffhanger!

[Jay DeMoir · Rating 2 out of 5]

Struggled greatly with enjoying this book. Jax came off as a much older, more mature character than the 12/13 year old he was set up as. It was also hard to suspend my disbelief with this tale and I hate that. I’ve read other works by the author and had enjoyed them, but this just wasn’t it for me… I wish I’d enjoyed it more. I nearly DNF’d this book several times, but constantly forced myself to stick with it…

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jax’s mom has sent Jax to live with relatives in Chicago after he gets in some trouble at home, which Jax claims wasn’t his fault. But now fresh off the train in Union Station when things get weird right away. His luggage goes missing than the food vendor lady throws dust at him, but then they find his luggage and the conductor guy takes him down to an empty platform and tries to steal Jax’s skin, all because his Uncle wasn’t there in time to help him with all this. At the new school he has some summer classes even a weird one for summoners whatever that is but he actually summons an angry spirit. His one true friend disappears and Jax gets put front and center in an old family feud he knows nothing about, Chicago has not been a great start to a new trouble-free life.
This is a great book on finding friends when you thought there was no one left. Things that happen and people jump to the wrong answer without looking at all he facts first, then blaming generations of a family for what one person might have done. I hope it will help teach people to stop, look and question before persecution and stand up for a friend. This was a wonderful book It is a great story with an important learning plot that kids might only see in the background but it is there.

This review copy was supplied by Edelweiss

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Disney and NetGalley for the ARC. Overall, I’d rate this as a 3.5. I really struggled to get into a groove with the beginning of the book - to the point that I almost DNF; however, I am so glad that I kept going because the storyline did pick up dramatically and went into directions I didn’t anticipate. I would’ve rated it higher because the last 2/3 of the book was fast-paced and held my attention really well, and maybe if I went back and reread the first 30ish%, I’d thinking differently about it. I did feel like Jax was very, very mature for a 6th grader- he read more as a 16-17 year old as did his friends. And some of the areas of unknown were wrapped up a bit too quickly or a were a bit underdeveloped. Overall, I enjoyed the read, the historical flashbacks with elements of pop culture, and the focus on elements of Black culture. I think this book probably has a more niche reading audience, but I think there are a number of middle schoolers who will really enjoy this story.

[Julia Pika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Freedom Fire for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF'ed at 80%. I tried so hard to get through this but just couldn't.

I'm surprised this is a kid's fantasy book, it's very complicated, even for me... This book is incredibly confusing. I was hoping things would be explained but all the explanations got even MORE confusing. So you find out the answer to x thing, but it just lead to MORE questions.

One thing that bugged me is how that one character disappears and only the protagonist seemed to care, no one else did.

The adults were woefully incompetent and condescending to the protagonist because of what his great-great grandfather did years ago.

Also thought it was stupid that Jax's parents never explained the magic stuff to him, it felt really mean to just yeet him in the middle of magic school and make him look like an idiot. :/

[Brittney Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: 4.5 stars
Date: 11/2/24 – 11/8/24

Kwame Mbalia is my favorite author that I discovered from Rick Riordan Presents, the imprint that Rick Riordan has through Disney Hyperion, so when I learned by accident scrolling through Goodreads that he has a new series coming out, starting with Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek, I got excited and requested it from my local public library. This book tells the story of Jax Freeman, a young 12-year-old boy from Raleigh, North Carolina who after getting into some trouble is sent to live with his grandmother and uncle Moe in Chicago. Once there, he quickly discovers that his family has some secret history, they are summoners, magic practitioners able to draw power from the ancestors through heirlooms, and he starts attending classes to learn how to use his powers. However, he also discovers that his family is not well-liked because his great, great grandfather, Portis, tried to perform magic beyond his ability and put the entire summoning world in danger. After discovering evidence within his new room that, maybe, proves Portis’s innocence and having felt the sting of being accused himself, Jax resolves to figure out what really happened and goes on a wild adventure that will have you flipping pages as fast as possible, especially if you are the target audience for this book.

My favorite part of this book was the world building as this magical world that Jax finds himself in is super intricate and cool. As with his first series, Mbalia interweaves Black history, in all its complex glory, into his story flawlessly, but where he choose to focus on transatlantic slave trade in his first series, pulling from the gods of Africa, the folk heroes that arose during slavery, and the beliefs that developed as a result of these traumatic events; in this one, he focuses on more recent events in Black history- the diaspora to the North that happened as a result of rising violence against newly freed Black individuals, the largely unknown fact (by me, at least!) that most of the individuals that worked on the railroads were African Americans, the industriousness of Black individuals to succeed and the violence that occurs when White individuals get jealous of that success (there are multilayered allusions to the Black Wall Street Massacre), the deep, complex connections that Black individuals have with organized crime, and the heavy prevalence of Black individuals, usually Black young men, accused of violence and crime. As a White individual who did not learn anything about Black or ethnic history in school, I found these inspirations very engrossing, so much so that I did extensive research into these topics on my own. Mbalia did an amazing job of making this complex history accessible to young readers and individuals new to these topics, whether they be of the cultural background discussed or not, and if you are a parent, educator, or librarian, I would highly recommend introducing his books to your children, especially if they are in the target age range.

Another amazing part of this book is the themes discussed. I have already mentioned that a big aspect of this book is dealing with the trauma and shame that can arise from being accused of a crime, but there are also threads of another big aspect of Black culture that is discussed in this book. Mbalia touches on the fact that Black children are constantly reminded by the elders in their lives that they have to hold themselves to a higher standard than most other children their age, due to the fact that people are immediately going to view them a certain way because of the color of their skin, and due to the fact that those elders have done so much work and been through so much trauma to get them to the place they are now that they will not stand for children disrespecting and wasting the opportunities that were won for them. Through his characters, especially his main ones, he really homes in on how toxic that narrative can become, even if it is not meant that way, and how much of an impact that this can have on individuals. Again, I am not from this culture and have never experienced these issues, but I loved exploring these topics, and I hope that it helps me become a better human in the future, especially to people who have different experiences and cultures than my own. I also reiterate that these books need to be put in the hands of young people because the information and lessons they will learn are vital to their growth as well-rounded human beings.

All in all, although I do prefer Mbalia’s first series over this one, at least at this point, I did greatly enjoy this book. However, I did find that the timeline and pacing was wonky in a few places so I can’t give it the full 5 stars. It is 4.5 stars, though, and I highly recommend it, especially for individuals in the target audience or educators, librarians, and parents with individuals in the target audience.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kwame Mbalia's Tristan Strong series centered on a young Black boy from Chicago who was sent down South to live with his distant relatives after a tragedy. Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek kinda reverses that. Because it is about a young Black boy from the South (Specifically, North Carolina) who is sent up to Chicago to live with his distant relatives. And both Tristan and Jax (Which is short for Jackson) discover hidden worlds of magic connected to their ancestors.

In certain ways, Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek seemed almost like an African-American version of Harry Potter. (Thankfully, I happen to know that Kwame Mbalia is NOT a raging Transphobe like J.K. Rowling.) This book was very interesting. Like Kwame's previous books, it had endearing, compelling characters, lots of humor and thrilling action scenes. Now, you may have noticed that I rated Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek 4 stars, but rated all of the Tristan Strong books 5 stars. This is because, for as much as I liked the book, I found some things about it a little confusing. Luckily the sequel, Jax Freeman and the Tournament of Spirits, just came out. And I look forward to reading it ASAP. (Not to mention, I also really want to read Kwame Mbalia's Star Wars book, Star Wars: The Last Order, another recent release.)

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Freedom Fire for the eARC.
Our story begins when 6th grader, Jax Freeman, is taking the train from North Carolina to Chicago. He got into some trouble at school and his parents have sent him to live with his grandmother and uncle. Once he arrives, there is no one to pick him up and he spends a strange night at the train station, where a strange being tries to steal his skin, and a strange lady, Miss Ella, gives him snacks, but also throws dust in his face. Finally, his uncle arrives to take him home, and immediately starts school. On the first day, he begins a unique class where he finds out he is a "summoner" and that his family has a bad reputation. It's in this class, Jax meets Nina and Devin, and these three get caught up in a wild, magical adventure filled with angry ghosts and other mystical creatures.

Triston Strong is one of my favorite fantasy series, so I was very excited to read this one. This story didn't draw me in like that series, but this is still a solid fantasy.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Julie Murphy decided to write about a Black kid in a magical urban fantasy. I love Jax's character, wit, and situational awareness. He's been shipped off to Chicago from Raleigh for doing something he didn't do. Now he's running into trouble from the start at the train station that gets stranger and more fantastical.

The vivid character development, magic, and world building is just beginning in the first of Mbalia's new series that will *no doubt* be just as popular as Tristan Strong. I can't wait to order it and have it in the library. It's about the past mixing with the present. History and values. Plus having a little sense of humor along the way even when serious things are uncovered. The setting brings the story to life as much as Jax himself.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Mbalia's prose so I eagerly dove into his new middle grade series published under his own imprint with Disney. Jax is such a lovable, well-rounded character; it also does not hurt that Jax reminds me of one of my former students. Poor Jax gets propelled into a fantastical world of Summoners, a magic system loosely based on the Great Migration with connections to other more ancient magics although Mbalia does not flesh that out in this first book. Jax does not stop moving from the start and neither does the reader. Even though I wish that a little more had been explained and that poor Jax had gotten a little bit of downtime, I still loved this first installment and hope that the next one comes soon!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I’m getting a little overfull with kids’ fantasy. I think this might be wonderful for Black boys who know a bit about Black culture. I don’t qualify. Speaking only for me, I thought this was a bit above ok. Maybe 3.25 stars. The twist did surprise me. I had trouble keeping track of the adults in the story. They didn’t seem very individual and kind of melded together. Some of this showed real creativity and the train motif should be appealing. It just wasn’t right for me. This will be a series and I wish it well.

[megs_bookrack]

ARC received!! Thank you, Disney Publishing Freedom Fire!



I loved the entire Tristan Strong series by this author, so am really looking forward to another series by him. This sounds really enchanting and creative!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and action packed read. Jax is a hero that we so rarely see. He’s a larger sized black kid, who’s been exiled to Chicago, due to a mishap at home. And when he arrives, things just keep going wrong, from lost luggage, to a thing that wants his skin. He soon sort of learns about a whole new magic world, family history and makes friends. Really looking forward to the next installment. On to the games!

I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.

[Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. When Jax is sent from North Carolina to Chicago to stay with his grandmother, he thinks it is just because of his role in a mall brawl. Or rather, lack thereof, but he can’t catch a break. But his trip to the Windy City is odd from the start, beginning with his lost luggage and encounter with a ghost. He soon learns that the Freeman name comes with a lot of baggage, and maybe even some powers. I love the author’s humor and will always read his stuff. Recommended for grades 6+.

[Amaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Jax’s voice. He is sincere and funny and kind and loyal and trying to figure things out at the age of 12. I loved his vulnerability because middle-school years are excruciating and you feel all of it. There are some holes in the plot but I didn’t mind because I enjoyed Jax’s character so much. And there’s plenty of twists and turns that kept me enjoying the plot too. I also appreciate this isn’t yet another juvenile fantasy book set in a boarding school and reflects Black history in the USA.

[Lisa Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jax Freeman finds himself living with relatives in Chicago after getting in trouble, only to learn he has the ability to summon the power of his ancestors. As he learns the ways of this new world, he discovers who his family was and what his purpose is. A fun page-turner for lovers of Percy Jackson and Tristan Strong. Ages 10-12

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read! I want to know Jax Freeman in real life. I feel like I know him; he feels so real and honest. Yes, he's a powerful summoner, but he's also a sixth grader who wants to just stomp off and pretend all the bad things aren't happening. He grows a lot emotionally, and I like seeing that happen in addition to him figuring how to do all the summoning magic.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

A must read for fans of this author's Tristan Strong. Reminded me a bit of Bell's A Crooked Sixpence, with all of the magical elements. Very fun and fast paced fantasy adventure.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackson "Jax" Freeman is sent to live with his grandmother in Chicago after an incident in North Carolina. Upon his shaky arrival in Chicago, Jax discovers something about his northern based family and even more about himself as he adjusts to his new surroundings. A thrill infused read.

[Alysha DeShaé · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for more!

[Carina Valenzuela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait to see what Jax is up to in the next book.

[JANET · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting, complicated story. I find the magic more believable because Jax resisted believing and participating for so long. Is it readable for the average middle grader? I sorta doubt it.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My attention span is currently trash but this held it; pop culture references, funny protagonist, magical school

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

“With Jax’s humor and wit shining even in the darkest moments, fans of Tristan Strong and magic-school stories will want this one on their shelves.” [Booklist]

[Molly Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 Jumps right into page-turning action and will be a good middle grade sell.

[Moni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story.

[Karen Cohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Due to what Jackson (Jax) Freeman claims is a misunderstanding, he is kicked out of school and sent to live with his grandmother and uncle in Chicago - a far cry from Raleigh, where he lived with his parents. Jax arrives alone, by train, on his 12th birthday, in Chicago, and sees... something. Someone he can't explain, and that no one else can see. The very next day, he starts school, and, like new kids everywhere, struggles to fit in, a struggle that grows harder during his 6th period class, when he learns that he is a summoner - a user of magic, of a type he's never heard of, much less seen, ever before. After that, things get strange. Jax is thrown into a conflict - not quite a war, though it wants to be - between summoner clans, along with visitations by the Shriek, a train he is able to call as part of his power as a porter. This is a coming-of-age novel, as a young boy learns the history of his family, and also learns that family can't always be trusted. Recommended for readers middle school through adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.