Small Spaces

By: Katherine Arden

Narrated by: Renee Dorian

Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle-grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic.

After suffering a tragic loss, 11-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn't think—she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both 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.

Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? Ollie doesn't have too long to think about the answer to that. On the way home, the school bus breaks down, sending their teacher back to the farm for help. But the strange bus driver has some advice for the kids left behind in his care: "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, a keepsake reminder of better times, begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.

Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed the bus driver's warning. 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.

©2018 Katherine Arden (P)2018 Listening Library

Critic reviews

★ ★ ★ Three Starred Reviews

22 State Awards

A Kirkus Best Book of 2018–Middle-Grade

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2018–Middle-Grade

A Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books of 2018

An Amazon Best Book–October 2018

A CCBC Choices List Pick–2019

An ALA Notable Children’s Book–2019

★ “Atmospheric horror at its best. Chillingly tender.”—Kirkus, starred review

★ “With a tantalizing pace and palpable suspense, all nicely grounded in realistic emotions, this well-wrought spine-tingler is destined to be a hit (just make sure the lights stay on).”—Booklist, starred review

★ “Riveting…The story moves at a good pace with just enough clues to keep the reader intrigued and guessing.”—School Library Connection, starred review

Spooky Fun For All Ages

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and bought it even tho my kids are grown. A lot of the books I read/listen to are in the paranormal genre and every once in awhile it’s nice to listen to a book in that category that is spooky and upbeat at the same time. I’m sure sometime down the road I’ll buy the remaining 3 books in the series. Thanks to the author for writing books that let people my age delve into their inner child without feeling like a complete weirdo.

Great Book for Middle School Horror Lovers

This is a really well done story. The narration is perfect for the book. It is at an age appropriate level Middle School students. I would say 11-13. (librarian)

love it so very much and is a thriller book with lots of adventure best book

Fun

loved it. fun and spooky. appropriate for 10yrs old and above I would say.

Best ya book I've read in a long time.

Loved the story. The narration was amazing. I had so much fun, I didn't even wait to ready it with my teenage kids.

Quality fun time

A fine YA story. Seems a bit short, but that's because it's pretty good.
No melodrama, decent characters (remember: if you are annoyed at a kid here and there, that's because they act like normal 6th graders xD), the story avoids the convenient Deus ex machina-s.
The reader does well. Intonation, expression- it's working. No overacting, too.

Fun read

My 12 year old wanted to listen to this at Halloween and fell in love. Its spooky but not to much more on the lines of of a Ray Bradbury something wicked this way comes feel.

Cute Scary Story

I liked this despite it being more geared for middle schoolers. It wasnt too scary to me, being an adult, and so it seemed to me to be more of a cute scary story. Reminded me of simpler times when I was a kid and could curl up with a good "scary" book and scare myself silly.

Really Good Book!

As a kid in 5th grade, I absolutely loved it. It was scary, but not to overwhelming scary. Super good story, and I loved the narration. The characters were realistic, and I think it is cool how each one has their own voice. There is bullying, but not as a big part of the story. I really like books about tragedy, so this was quite appealing to me. So yes, very good story and great narration. 👍

Delightful

As an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden. It's delightful. Much of the middle school angst was relatable to my own childhood. A great book if you want to get a young person who enjoys ghost stories interested in reading. It's first in a series. The second one will be released on August 27.