Small Spaces
Books | Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / Survival Stories
4.1
(1.1K)
Katherine Arden
New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic. Now in paperback.After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie who only finds solace in books discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man"—a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price. Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about on a school trip to a nearby farm. Then, later, when her school bus breaks down on the ride home, the strange bus driver tells Ollie and her classmates: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN. Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed these warnings. As the trio head out into the woods—bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them—the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small." And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.
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Author
Katherine Arden
Pages
256
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2019-07-09
ISBN
0525515046 9780525515043
Community ReviewsSee all
"Creepy but good for young readers. It's not overly scary."
Meagan Khatthaname
"Loved this book! It is perfect for the younger thriller genre fanatics and it’s a very interesting take on the genre. It had twists and turns and something you never saw coming but expected something to happen nonetheless. I would highly recommend to the younger readers and to the older ones. It reminds that of R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” series. Definitely worth a read!"
Caitlin Lavender
"Very fun and a little bit spooky!"
bookfrog
""I'm far too good at imagining things that don't exist." <br/><br/>Small Spaces is a creative mystery story, and the synopsis caught my attention as soon as I heard about it. I loved the formatting of this book - there are psychiatry transcripts, and it was cool to see what was going on with the main character when she was younger. <br/><br/>The book loses some steam in the middle, and felt a little too long overall. I wasn't wild about the ending, but the book as a whole was still intriguing enough to keep me entertained. I would try another book by this author. <br/><br/>CW - animal cruelty and suffering"
Emily
"I adored Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy, and recently found out she had written a middle grade horror series. I enjoyed the ghost stories attached to the main plot and the spooky fall atmosphere. Those scarecrows were freaky! The audiobook narration was also well done and I look forward to the next installment."
Madeline
"The first book in my favourite middle grade series. Highly recommend for those who want something between Scooby Doo and Goosebumps vibes."
Ashton
"Such a good one! It actually had me biting my nails In anticipation. And it actually was scary too! Just chefs kiss 💋 10/10 love the series."
Victoria Campbell
"“When the mist rises, and the smiling man comes walking, you must avoid large places at night. Keep to small.”<br/>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>For being a middle grade novel, this really blew me away. This was a heartwarming, fast-paced read that had some genuinely creepy parts. I absolutely loved Ollie as a main character. As a fellow quiet kid who wanted nothing more than to be reading instead of engaging with others, I related to her throughout. She was such a dynamic character with so many layers that it was honestly a joy to read from her perspective. I loved the way she used her instincts and past experiences to help save the day. The pacing and overall plot of this was also incredibly intriguing and made it very hard to put down; in fact I pretty much finished this entire book in one sitting. I cannot get over how much I absolutely loved this book! I will definitely be continuing on in this series, as I love this little ragtag team that Ollie has found herself a part of, and I can’t wait to see what adventures they go on next."
C Z
Cailin Zoltak
"A very good book hilly recommend "
Mia Dietz
"If I had anything to say about this book, it's that Katherine's imagery skills are AMAZING such cozy fall vibes in the beginning. Throughout the whole book, I felt like I was actually there. Kudos for making me enjoy a younger readers book so much."
Shelby Stepp