In Conversation with Jordan Ifueko: Inside the Magic of The Genie Game

This month, we’re delighted to shine a spotlight on The Genie Game, the dazzling new middle-grade fantasy from bestselling author Jordan Ifueko. Bursting with magic, mystery, and adventure, the novel introduces readers to Valentine Adesanya, a determined aspiring filmmaker whose search for her missing sister leads her into a high-stakes competition where wishes can change everything.

Set against the backdrop of the enigmatic Genie Game, the story combines imaginative world-building with sharp observations about power, ambition, and the importance of standing up for what’s right. As Valentine uncovers the truth behind the game and the organisation that controls it, she must decide how far she is willing to go to protect the people she loves and challenge a system designed to keep its secrets hidden.

We caught up with Jordan to discuss the inspiration behind The Genie Game, the themes woven throughout the story, and the creative process behind bringing this magical and unforgettable adventure to life.

What inspired you to write The Genie Game?

Even though The Genie Game is a love letter to Los Angeles, my first inspirations came from New Orleans! I loved how the buildings had so much character, they seemed haunted and alive. That gave me my first idea for sentient buildings that are cared for by immortal beings.

The Trio Trust and the Genie Game feel like a critique of corporate power. What drew you to explore those themes?

Once I established that the buildings were owned by powerful corporations, a lot of those critiques spell naturally into place based on how our world currently works. I’ve also been really concerned at the push to normalize child labor in the past several decades. I wanted to explore that in a way that’s accessible to kids, because that fate isn’t as far-fetched as many of them might think.

Gloss Angeles is such a vivid and unstable setting. How did you imagine this version of the world?

Gloss Angeles is a love letter to Los Angeles, where I spent many years of my life. There are many wonderful things about Southern Californian culture, and that’s why it was so important to me to critique what happens when for-profit companies take over a place where people live. I got a lot of inspiration from Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower, which, much like The Genie Game, reimagines a southern California ravaged by for-profit businesses.

Valentine has big ambitions as a filmmaker. What did you hope to say about identity and ambition for young readers?

I think behind every child’s ambition is a simple longing for agency. They want to control what they do with their lives, how they impact the world, and how the world sees them. Art is really powerful, because it accomplishes a lot of those things at once. Valentine’s dreams are big and shiny, and I want kids to know big dreams are okay! But I hope they also come to terms with how little external validation can truly satisfy them. Valentine is most fulfilled as a filmmaker when she is telling stories that strengthen the communities around her, not simply when she is getting a lot of praise and fame.

Did any part of The Genie Game change significantly from your original idea?

The biggest change would be the city! It was originally set in New Orleans. I’m so glad I moved the setting to Los Angeles, because I know that city so much more intimately, and the book is much stronger because of it.

If you could give Valentine one piece of advice, what would it be?

I would tell her that it’s OK to be a kid and need help, and it’s the job of adults to help children. (I don’t think she would listen to me though, haha.)

Do you have a favourite place where you enjoy writing your books?

I write all over the place. On my couch, at my desk, on bathroom counters, at the kitchen table. I am happiest writing when I am so locked in, it doesn’t matter where I am.