Small Spaces introduces readers to eleven-year-old Ollie, a grieving booklover who stumbles into a very real nightmare. After finding an old notebook that tells a dark tale about a girl named Beth, two brothers, and a bargain with a mysterious "smiling man," Ollie begins to suspect the story is more than fiction.
On a school trip to a nearby farm, she discovers the graves of the very people in the notebook. When the bus breaks down on the way home, the unnerving driver warns the class to leave before nightfall. As darkness falls, Ollie’s broken digital watch suddenly comes to life with a single word: RUN.
Only Ollie and two classmates listen. Forced to flee into the woods, they find themselves surrounded by watching scarecrows, eerie fields, and signs that the smiling man might be close. To survive the night, they must unravel the truth behind the ghost story and follow one final piece of advice: “Avoid large places. Keep to small.”
This creepy, atmospheric tale blends supernatural suspense with themes of courage, friendship, and healing after loss, making it an engaging choice for confident middle grade readers who enjoy ghost stories and spine-tingling adventures.
