{"product_id":"dark-waters-isbn-9780593109151","title":"Dark Waters","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn Indie Bestseller!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFilled with chills, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Katherine Arden’s latest installment in the creep-tastic Small Spaces Quartet is sure to haunt.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eUntil next time.\u003c\/i\u003e That was chilling promise made to Ollie, Coco and Brian after they outsmarted the smiling man at Mount Hemlock Resort. And as the trio knows, the smiling man always keeps his promises. So when the lights flicker on and off at Brian's family's inn and a boom sounds at the door, there's just one visitor it could be. Only, there's no one there, just a cryptic note left outside signed simply as —S.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe smiling man loves his games and it seems a new one is afoot. But first, the three friends will have to survive a group trip to Lake Champlain where it's said Vermont's very own Loch Ness monster lives. When they’re left shipwrecked on an island haunted by a monster on both land and sea, Brian's survival instincts kick in and it's up to him to help everyone work together and find a way to escape.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne thing is for sure, the smiling man is back and he wants a rematch. And this time Brian is ready to play.\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eDark Waters:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn Amazon Best Book – August 2021\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Arden \u003cb\u003eskillfully\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eblends \u003c\/b\u003ea creature feature with a survival tale, taking the series into new territory without deviating from its successful formula. The deliberate pacing maintains \u003cb\u003ea palpable sense of dread\u003c\/b\u003e, equally anxiety-inducing and terrifying. . . Another\u003cb\u003e deliciously hair-raising \u003c\/b\u003eentry in a series that continues to make a huge splash.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Describing the \u003cb\u003ecreepy setting\u003c\/b\u003e where all the action takes place with \u003cb\u003ecinematic detail\u003c\/b\u003e, Arden \u003cb\u003epiles on the terror\u003c\/b\u003e, weaving in Lake Champlain history and pirate lore.” —\u003ci\u003eBuffalo News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The ending definitely \u003cb\u003eramped up the stakes\u003c\/b\u003e once more and I’m now anxiously awaiting the conclusion to this \u003cb\u003edark, creepy\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003emiddle-grade series\u003c\/b\u003e. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, now is the perfect time to do so, if only to suffer with us all through the wait for the final book.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Nerd Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cb\u003eGenuinely spooky\u003c\/b\u003e . . . Arden’s \u003cb\u003eexpert pacing\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003evivid descriptions\u003c\/b\u003e ratchet up the tension deliciously, build \u003cb\u003eeerie atmosphere\u003c\/b\u003e, and make for some \u003cb\u003etruly scary \u003c\/b\u003emoments . . . [and] a \u003cb\u003etense cliff-hanger\u003c\/b\u003e, which will leave readers \u003cb\u003eon the hook\u003c\/b\u003e for the next installment.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Those who are attracted to \u003cb\u003emystery, adventure, and spooky stories\u003c\/b\u003e will be drawn to this sequel like a moth to a flame.” —S\u003ci\u003echool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In this \u003cb\u003ehair-raising\u003c\/b\u003e novel . . . middle-grade readers, ages 8-12, and their adult reading companions, \u003cb\u003ewill be\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003ethrilled\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003efrightened\u003c\/b\u003e, by this latest adventure. . . This is a \u003cb\u003every fun\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003eeerie\u003c\/b\u003e, read-aloud.” —\u003ci\u003eAddison County Independent\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eDead Voices:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “Arden handily transforms the \u003cb\u003ehaunted house story\u003c\/b\u003e into something much richer, scarier, and more sinister. . . Middle-graders who \u003cb\u003ethrill to spooks and scares\u003c\/b\u003e will find plenty (maybe even more than they bargained for!) here.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “Arden's high scare factor, richly drawn mountain setting, relevant themes of loss and belonging, and vividly eerie descriptions evoke \u003cb\u003ethe very best of horror\u003c\/b\u003e for this age set.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “In this \u003cb\u003espooky sequel\u003c\/b\u003e to \u003ci\u003eSmall Spaces,\u003c\/i\u003e Arden excels at creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic tension with \u003cb\u003ememorably menacing\u003c\/b\u003e details. Readers will again be invested in the \u003cb\u003eghoulish surprises\u003c\/b\u003e in store for the resourceful, likably flawed protagonists.” —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eSmall Spaces:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e★ ★ ★ \u003cb\u003eThree Starred Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e22 State Awards\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of 2018 – Middle-Grade\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of 2018 – Middle-Grade\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books of 2018\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn Amazon Best Book – October 2018\u003cbr\u003eA CCBC Choices List Pick – 2019\u003cbr\u003eAn ALA Notable Children’s Book – 2019\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “\u003cb\u003eAtmospheric\u003c\/b\u003e horror at its best. \u003cb\u003eChillingly tender\u003c\/b\u003e.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “With a \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003etantalizing\u003c\/b\u003e pace\u003c\/b\u003e and palpable suspense, all nicely grounded in realistic emotions, this well-wrought \u003cb\u003espine-tingler is destined to be a hit\u003c\/b\u003e (just makes sure the lights stay on).”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ “\u003cb\u003eRiveting\u003c\/b\u003e…\u003c\/b\u003eThe story moves at a good pace with just enough clues to keep the reader intrigued and guessing.”—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Connection\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“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? \u003cb\u003eTerrifying and fun\u003c\/b\u003e.”—\u003cb\u003eR. L. Stine\u003c\/b\u003e, author of the \u003ci\u003eGoosebumps\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eFear Street\u003c\/i\u003e seriesKatherine Arden is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Winternight trilogy and the Small Spaces quartet. In addition to writing novels, she enjoys aimless travel, growing vegetables, and running wild through the woods with her dog. She lives in Vermont.\u003cp\u003eThe lights flickered.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian’s head jerked up from the book. Ollie and Coco looked around too, warily. The lights flickered again.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Must be the storm—­” Coco began.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd then the lights went out.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRight at that same moment, someone knocked—­\u003ci\u003eboom, boom, boom\u003c\/i\u003e—­on the door.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe three of them froze. They knew better than to scream. They stared at the door. The only light came from the fire. It threw their shadows big and strange on the walls.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBoom.\u003c\/i\u003e This time the knock shot them to their feet and close together. Coco tripped over her pile of books; Ollie caught her, and they stood in the middle of the room, hands gripping tight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I didn’t see anyone outside!” Brian breathed. “I didn’t see a car . . .”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“There wasn’t a car,” whispered Ollie. “We’d have seen the lights.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Maybe it drove up with the lights off?” whispered Coco.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOllie glanced down at her wrist. She was wearing a watch. But it wasn’t an ordinary watch. It had belonged to her mother, who was dead. Its screen was cracked; it didn’t tell time. But sometimes it gave Ollie advice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike now.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was glowing faintly blue, and a single word jumped on the screen in faint, flickering letters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHush, it said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll three of them went still. Brian felt sweat start on his forehead. His heart was thumping away, like a pheasant in spring. Why were heartbeats so loud? He tried not to breathe. He could feel the girls’ hands sweating in his. Run away? Stay still?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHush.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe knocking had stopped. Now he heard the soft sound of footsteps. Circling the house. Going toward the big front window. \u003ci\u003eScratch. Scritch.\u003c\/i\u003e Someone was scraping at the pane of glass. Brian’s heartbeat seemed to rattle his rib cage. None of them moved.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe footsteps went back toward the door. Now they saw the door handle quiver. Very slowly, the handle turned downward. Down and down it went. Brian couldn’t see the dead bolt in the dimness. He’d locked it, hadn’t he? Hadn’t he?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe could hear Coco breathing quick and shallow beside him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe door handle was down at its very lowest point.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Run,” whispered Ollie, her hand clutching his.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut before any of them could move, a brilliant light cut through the curtains, like a car—­a car coming across the parking lot. The handle stopped moving. They all stood, holding their breath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe lights flickered. Came back on.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe door was still shut. There was no one there but them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I locked the door,” Brian whispered. “I did. I \u003ci\u003e swear\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I believe you,” said Ollie. She glanced down at her watch again. Brian looked over her shoulder. So did Coco. The watch was blank now. Just an old digital wristwatch, too big for Ollie’s wrist, with a spiderwebbing crack on the screen. They were all trembling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe headlights in the parking lot cut out. Next moment, Brian heard his parents’ voices, arguing cheerfully, as his mom and dad got out of the car. He breathed again. They might have imagined the whole thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut he was pretty sure they hadn’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What was that?” whispered Coco.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I—­don’t know,” said Ollie.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Saved by your parents, Brian,” said Coco. “I guess that \u003ci\u003eis\u003c\/i\u003e your parents?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Yes,” said Brian. They were still clutching hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You don’t think anything’s still out there?” said Ollie. “Anything dangerous?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The lights came back on,” Brian pointed out shakily.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeither girl replied. He heard his mother’s footsteps on the front walk. Heard them pause on the front porch. Then she came clattering in, pausing at the threshold to say something, laughing, to Brian’s dad. Just like normal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian’s mom seemed surprised to see them all standing in the middle of the great room. “You look like baby raccoons on walkabout,” she said, smiling. “I guess you got hungry?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian licked his lips and found his voice. “Yeah, Mom,” he said. “Super hungry.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian’s mom had light brown skin and her eyes were just like Brian’s. \u003ci\u003eLike a pond in summer,\u003c\/i\u003e Brian’s dad would say. \u003ci\u003eWhen the light shines through.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen the inn was in season, they ate whatever the restaurant was serving. When it wasn’t, they ate a lot of takeout. His mom, who ran the restaurant during the season, got tired of cooking. “A break, please. I beg,” she’d say, and call the Thai place or the burger spot. Everyone in town knew his mom.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow Brian smelled something yummy. The next second, his dad came in, holding four flat boxes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis dad said, “We met Roger and Zelda in town.” Roger and Zelda were Ollie’s dad and Coco’s mom. “They’re coming up for dinner. Brian, wash your hands, wash your ears. It’s time to make dinner!”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCoco said, “Mr. Battersby—­are we not eating pizza?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian’s dad looked at the boxes in his hands and jumped, like he was surprised. “Oh,” he said. “Where did these come from?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis dad liked to joke. So did Ollie’s dad. They got along amazingly. “Ha,” said Brian. “Come on,” he added to the girls. “Let’s wash up.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs they were heading out, he heard his mom calling. “Brian—­Brian,” she said. “Did you leave anything on the front porch?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian stopped. Beside him, he felt the girls go still.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian turned around. “Um, no,” he said. His tongue felt sticky. “Why do you ask?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Nothing, really,” said his mom. “Just found this on the ground in front of the door. Thought I’d check before I chuck it in the bin.” She held it up. It was a round black piece of paper about the size of Brian’s palm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian hesitated. Then Ollie said clearly, “That’s mine, Ms. Battersby. I dropped it. School project.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Well, great,” said his mom. “Glad I could find it before it got wet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe held it out. Ollie glanced at her watch, as though for guidance. But her watch didn’t do anything, and Ollie marched over and took the black piece of paper from his mother’s hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hm,” said his mom, frowning at all three of them. Brian supposed they still looked a little freaked, from the darkness and the scratching footsteps. “Are you okay? Probably hungry, huh? Go get washed up. I’ll set the table.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey went into the washroom. The second the door closed, Coco said, “Ollie, what’s that?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOllie was eyeing the thing in her hand with puzzlement. “A piece of paper. Look, someone charcoaled this side. That’s why it’s black.” She held up a black-­smudged hand to demonstrate.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What about the other side?” said Coco.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSlowly, Ollie turned it over. The back of the paper wasn’t charcoaled. There were a few words written instead, in delicate, old-­fashioned cursive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBell\u003c\/i\u003e, it said. Then, \u003ci\u003edog saturn day flower moon\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd then, \u003ci\u003eConsider yourselves warned.—­S.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne shiver chased another up Brian’s spine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Who is it from?” whispered Coco. They looked at each other. “Is it—­is it him?” Her voice went shrill. When they first met him, the smiling man had called himself Seth, and he had seemed nice. He wasn’t, though. Not at all. Coco’s finger traced the spidery cursive \u003ci\u003eS.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother knock broke the silence of the bathroom. All three of them stiffened, glancing instinctively at the bathroom mirror. But nothing moved in the mirror but them. The knock had come from the front door. Again? But the lights were on.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian felt the hair rise on his arms.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe front door creaked. They all held their breath. And then a chorus of adult voices—­“So glad you could make it, come in, come in . . .”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304376586469,"sku":"NP9780593109151","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593109151.jpg?v=1767724725","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/dark-waters-isbn-9780593109151","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}