The Gatekeeper of Pericael by Hayley Chow

In Pericael, no one goes out after dark.Twelve-year-old Porter would much rather spend his weekends playing soccer than channeling spirits in the parallel universe of Pericael. Unfortunately for him, Porter's family has guarded the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael for generations, so he's not getting out of Gatekeeper lessons anytime soon. But some after-school activities are more dangerous than others.When a soul thief threatens the gate, Porter reluctantly comes to its defense... and gets thrown deep into Pericael's dangerous jungle wilderness. With the help of two fierce native girls, Porter must learn to embrace the creepy spirits and find his way back to the gate. But the soul thief is racing for the gate too, and if he gets there first, Porter won't have a home to go back to.