Small Spaces

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden is a chilling middle-grade horror novel centered on 11-year-old Ollie Adler. After the death of her mother, Ollie withdraws from her classmates and finds solace in books. One day, she saves a book from a distraught woman with the titel "Small Spaces". Ollie begins to read the tale of a girl named Beth, two brothers, and a sinister deal with a mysterious figure known only as “The Smiling Man.” On the next day, Ollie's class goes on a field trip to a local farm with a dark history that echoes the book’s story. When the bus breaks down on the way home and her wristwatch from her late mother starts flashing the word “RUN,” Ollie, along with her classmates Coco and Brian, flees into the dark woods. As night falls, they discover that terrifying scarecrows with frightening smiles are hunting them down. To survive, Ollie and her friends must face their fears, uncover the truth behind the story from the book and outwit the Smiling Man, who offers cruel bargains in exchange for people’s deepest desires and his next target is Ollie herself... Full of suspense and supernatural thrills, Small Spaces is a tale about grief, bravery, and the strength of friendship when most needed. I love Small Spaces and read it at least 3 times a year and can highly recommend it. Definitely a must have for Halloween!