  | Dark waters (Small Spaces Quartet) Author: Arden, Katherine | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
Stuck on a mysterious island, Ollie, Coco, and Brian must band to together if they hope to escape the creature that haunts them on both land and sea.
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.00 Points: 5.0 Quiz: 511782 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/01/21)
School Library Journal (07/01/21)
Booklist (08/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 07/01/2021 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 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 08/01/2021 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.
