Small Spaces
  • Published: 2 July 2019
  • ISBN: 9780525515043
  • Imprint: Putnam
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 256
  • RRP: $19.99

Small Spaces

Formats & editions
Paperback
2 Jul 2019
Hardback
18 Oct 2018
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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.

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.
  • Published: 2 July 2019
  • ISBN: 9780525515043
  • Imprint: Putnam
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 256
  • RRP: $19.99
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About the author

Katherine Arden

Katherine Arden was born in Austin, Texas and spent her junior year of high school in Rennes, France. Following her acceptance to Middlebury College in Vermont, she deferred enrolment for a year in order to live and study in Moscow. At Middlebury, she specialized in French and Russian literature.

After receiving her BA, she moved to Maui, Hawaii, working every kind of odd job imaginable, from grant writing and making crêpes to serving as a personal tour guide. After a year on the island, she moved to Briançon, France, and spent nine months teaching. She then returned to Maui, stayed for nearly a year, then left again to wander. Currently she lives in Vermont, but really, you never know.

She is the author of The Winternight Trilogy.

portrait photo of Katherine Arden

Also by Katherine Arden

The Warm Hands of Ghosts
The Girl in The Tower
Dead Voices
The Winter of the Witch
Empty Smiles
Dark Waters
The Bear and The Nightingale
See all

Praise for Small Spaces

Praise for Small Spaces:

"Is it a mystery? A fairy tale? A horror thriller? As the suspense gripped me, I just wanted to know one thing--WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Terrifying and fun." --R. L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series

"The perfect book to be read by firelight during a chilly autumn evening--though you might find yourself inching closer to the light as the story nears its terrifying conclusion. Katherine Arden is a gifted storyteller with a wicked imagination!" --J. A. White, author of The Thickety series and Nightbooks

"This book scared the snot out of me. Fast-paced and spine-tinglingly delightful. I defy you to read the first two chapters without staying up the rest of the night to finish. You've been warned!" --Jonathan Auxier New York Times bestselling author of The Night Gardener

* "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 makes sure the lights stay on)."--Booklist, starred review

* "The story is riveting and should appeal to both boys and girls. The characters are nicely developed and well rounded. The story moves at a good pace... It draws the reader in quickly and completely." --School Library Connection, starred review