The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Vol. I

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

A timeless classic, repackaged with brand-new cover art! Diana Wynne Jones’s bestselling, magical, and funny Chrestomanci novels will enchant fans of Soman Chainani, Rick Riordan, and Chris Colfer. “Mad about Harry? Try Diana,” said U. S. News & World Report, and Neil Gaiman called Diana Wynne Jones’s work “Always perfectly magical.”Volume I contains Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant.

In Charmed Life, the first Chrestomanci book, the orphaned Cat Chant and his sister Gwendolen are taken to live at Chrestomanci Castle. There they are under the guardianship and tutelage of the Chrestomanci—a nine-lived enchanter who polices the many worlds of the multiverse. Gwendolen thinks highly of herself and her magical skills, but it soon comes out that Cat is the more powerful. He himself is a nine-lived enchanter and will one day take up Chrestomanci’s job—if he and Chrestomanci can stop Gwendolen from wreaking havoc in multiple worlds.The Lives of Christopher Chant is the story of Chrestomanci’s own childhood and how he came to live at the Castle himself. With distracted parents, a nefarious uncle, and a severe guardian who was Chrestomanci before Christopher, it’s no wonder that Christopher keeps losing his lives.

About the Author

In a career spanning four decades, award-winning author Diana Wynne Jones (1934–2011) wrote more than forty books of fantasy for young readers. Characterized by magic, multiple universes, witches and wizards—and a charismatic nine-lived enchanter—her books were filled with unlimited imagination, dazzling plots, and an effervescent sense of humor that earned her legendary status in the world of fantasy. Her last book, Earwig and the Witch, was published by Greenwillow Books in 2012.