SOLVED. Fantasy book read about 5-6 years ago. Kid and maybe someone else gets enlisted by a man shaped like an orb and a very tall lady to get back a magic wand from another dimension. [s]

[Derek]

The wand is in this other lady’s castle. The man and the lady live in a house in the middle of a stormy sea. The wand was the main one of the man but he has a backup they use to get around and that’s how they got to the other dimension. The wand allowed the main enemy who betrayed the old man to control some animals to defend the castle

[Bonnie]

The Journal of Curious Letters

or one of its sequels

[Derek]

That’s it. Thank you

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Derek.

The Journal of Curious Letters (book 1) of The 13th Reality series by James Dashner - Bonnie's find.