Charmed Life

Eric "Cat" Chance has always been the stupid one in the family, compared with his magically gifted sister Gwendolyn. Not to mention that he seems eternally unlucky; he keeps suffering near-fatal accidents. But when Gwendolyn calls upon the world's greatest enchanter, the Chrestomanci, Cat learns he has powers far beyond anything he ever imagined.

This is the first of Jones's Chrestomanci books, and probably my favorite of the series. They're all pretty terrific, though. They all take place in a series of parallel worlds, whose magic is regulated by a nine-lived enchanter called the Chrestomanci. The books are not fast-paced, but if you're willing to take your time, you'll find them full of humor and surprises (both delightful and chilling). Reading level is middle schoolish, but younger kids will appreciate it as a read-aloud.