Dark Waters

July 1, 2021

Gr 4 Up-Arden's series features compelling folklore from the state of Vermont. Friends Ollie, Brian, and Coco have experienced a multitude of ghostly horrors-from haunted farms to eerie snowbound inns-but now in the third volume of the "Small Spaces" series, the kids take a sailing trip with another school friend that turns nightmarish. The trio are wary of trusting new people and fearful of sharing secrets that might endanger others, especially their parents. When the day trip turns sour as an unidentified enormous creature, reminiscent of local lore's Lake Champlain monster, leaves the party shipwrecked on a nearby island, the kids use all their survival and problem-solving skills to unlock riddles from the infamous smiling man to escape the island. Those who are attracted to mystery, adventure, and spooky stories will be drawn to this sequel like a moth to a flame. Yet, Arden also uses her platform to talk about mental health, forthright communication, and the importance of a strong group of friends. VERDICT A gentle ghost story that highlights the friendship of underestimated kids using their wits to solve riddles and protect their families.-Laura Dooley-Taylor, Lake Zurich M.S. North, IL

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2021
A recreational sailing trip goes south when a lake monster attacks. In this third entry in the Small Spaces quartet, friends Brian, Ollie, and Coco haven't felt safe in months. When a cryptic note with a black circle appears at Brian's house one night, the sixth graders fear that spring in East Evansburg will bring new terrors from their cunning foe, "the smiling man." Coco's mom, a reporter, invites the tweens and Ollie's dad (her boyfriend) to do a Lake Champlain boat tour and learn about Champ, Vermont's fabled aquatic monster. But a freak rainstorm brings mist, a mysterious island, and silvery water snakes that attack not only the passengers, but the boat itself. The passengers escape to the island, but with no boat, no food, and a monstrous snake hunting them, it's clear they are in more than just hot water. Arden skillfully blends a creature feature with a survival tale, taking the series into new territory without deviating from its successful formula. The deliberate pacing maintains a palpable sense of dread, equally anxiety-inducing and terrifying. Focalizing through Brian, Arden not only digs deeper into his characterization, but also brings a peripheral character, Phil, into the main squad. The cast is majority White; Brian is Black. The cliffhanger ending sets the stage for a high-stakes final book. Another deliciously hair-raising entry in a series that continues to make a huge splash. (Horror. 9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 30, 2021
Grades 4-7 Ollie, Coco, and Brian expect the arrival of the Smiling Man at every turn in this third book in Arden's genuinely spooky middle-grade series, so they're eager to escape on a fun jaunt in a day-long boat trip on Lake Champlain in search of the legendary lake monster, Champ. Readers of the series will have their hackles raised, though, and rightly so: the voyage is anything but an escape, as the kids, and Ollie's and Coco's parents, soon fend off a vicious, bloodthirsty sea creature, which is only the beginning of their troubles. As in the other volumes in the series, Arden's expert pacing and vivid descriptions ratchet up the tension deliciously, build eerie atmosphere, and make for some truly scary moments, but the presence of Ollie's dad and Coco's mom adds an unexpected layer of peril, and the presence of another classmate, Phil, further deepens the mystery around the Smiling Man. Unlike the previous two volumes, this ends on a tense cliff-hanger, which will leave readers on the hook for the next installment.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.