The Crawl Space

Cover of The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills. Features glowing red eyes above an old wooden chest emitting light, with a skeleton reaching toward it, symbolizing the story’s haunted mystery.

Trapped in the Haunted School—Their Fate is in Your Hands

When the principal punishes three middle school boys for bullying a fellow student, they find themselves trapped in the haunted school over the weekend. What happens next is up to the reader in the teen/young adult interactive novel, The Crawl Space.

The Crawl Space Features 24 Choices and 11 Alternate Endings

Bullying is receiving much attention in the media, but it never had the repercussions that middle school bullies Bruce, Mark, and Charles will face. Trapped in a haunted school as their punishment, these bullies find their fates in the hands of their readers in Arthur Mills’ teen/young adult interactive novel The Crawl Space.

Bruce, Mark, and Charles have long been the school bullies, tormenting younger and weaker kids. But they go too far the day they try to make their fellow student, Johnny, enter the dreaded crawl space under the school cafeteria's stage. Everyone knows the crawl space is haunted by a boy who entered it and never returned, and Johnny is terrified. But fortunately, the school principal catches the boys before it's too late. As punishment, she offers them the choice of notes to their parents or spending the weekend cleaning out the crawl space. More scared of their parents than the rumor of a ghost, they choose the latter.

Once they are alone in the school, the boys discover that not only is the crawl space haunted, but so is the rest of the school. When the ghost gives the boys a riddle to solve, they must make many difficult choices to ensure their survival. However, the reader gets to make these choices, ranging from which hallway to go down to which key to open a mysterious chest. Whether the boys survive their punishment is as much the reader's responsibility as it is that of the boys themselves.

Illustrated 'The End' design from The Crawl Space, featuring a serpent weaving through bone-like lettering, with a skeletal arm gripping an ornate spear above.
Mr. Tripper, the janitor of Dawson Middle School in The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills, stands with his mop and keys—always watching, always knowing more than he lets on.

Why did I Write The Crawl Space?

I wrote The Crawl Space because, as a kid, I hated when adults made decisions for me. I turned to books for escape, only to realize that authors were just as controlling, forcing readers to follow a single path with no say in the story. Now that I’m an author, I’ve made a promise to give readers control. In The Crawl Space, you’ll make up to twenty-four choices leading to eleven different endings. With over eighty-five illustrations bringing every supernatural, terrifying, and bizarre moment to life, the fate of the main characters—and whether they survive their weekend in a haunted middle school—is entirely in your hands.

What are the Professionals Saying?

Destined to please adults and kids alike, The Crawl Space is a hit among all generations. Tyler R. Tichelaar, the author of the award-winning Narrow Lives, states, "The Crawl Space is as much fun as the Choose Your Own Adventure books from when I was a kid. Beyond being a great adventure story, The Crawl Space teaches readers lessons about bullying and friendship and the difficult choices we all have to make in life."

Three kids face off against a massive black python, its coils tightening as they fight back. A tense moment from The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills.

See the Story Unfold Through 85 Professional Illustrations

In The Crawl Space, the illustrator brings key moments, clues, and choices to life, challenging readers to look deeper. The illustrations aren’t just there to support the text—they encourage analysis, reveal hidden details, and draw readers further into the experience. Each image holds a piece of the puzzle, making the reader an active part of the story.

The eight-headed monster from The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills emerges from the pages of a book, its green-scaled faces snarling with razor-sharp teeth and glowing red eyes. A vivid depiction of fear and imagination brought to life.

Consequence or Triumph: Every Choice Has a Price

Your actions shape your fate—some lead to success, others to regret. Every decision carries a consequence, but only you decide if it leads to triumph or downfall.

The cafeteria at Dawson Middle School turns into a battleground in The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills—where laughter masks cruelty, and a single misstep can make you the next target.

Breaking the Cycle: Understanding the Impact of Bullying

The Crawl Space puts readers in the shoes of both bullies and victims, showing the real consequences of their actions. By making choices and seeing their outcomes, readers gain empathy, awareness, and the power to choose kindness in real life.

Book Trailer

Key Figures & The Crawl Space

Bruce, Mark, and Charles find their individual characteristics to be a double-edged sword as they navigate the mysterious crawl space and the haunted school. While their unique traits sometimes prove beneficial, they can also lead them into unforeseen danger. Ultimately, it falls upon the reader to act as the ultimate arbiter of their destiny, holding the power to determine whether they emerge victorious from the nightmarish corridors of the haunted school or succumb to their ominous fate.

Bruce is confident, assertive, and has a sense of humor. He plays a leadership role in the group, balancing rationality and courage when facing challenges. He's a vocal and assertive figure who can easily capture the attention of his peers.

Mark is an observant and curious individual, yet very timid. Mark exhibits a degree of innocence and naivety but has a strong bond with his friends. Mark's character is characterized by his compassion, loyalty, and innocence.

Charles is the smartest of the bullies. He's a problem-solver and analytical thinker. Charles frequently employs sarcasm and humor as a defense mechanism, especially when confronted with fear or uncertainty.

Mr. Bones embodying fear, mystery, and consequences. He serves as a catalyst for character development and contributes to the story's suspenseful and supernatural atmosphere.​​

The crawl space is a symbol that represents fear, transformation, adventure, redemption, and the unseen aspects of the characters' lives. It serves as a central element that drives the plot, challenges the characters, and ultimately leads to their personal growth and the resolution of the story's central conflicts.

Understanding Bullying Through Choice and Consequence

Placing oneself in the shoes of bullies in an interactive story allows children and young adults to experience the consequences of negative actions firsthand. By navigating the repercussions and emotions tied to bullying behavior, readers gain empathy and insight into the pain caused. This experiential learning, coupled with witnessing the outcomes of their choices, can deter them from engaging in bullying. They internalize the moral lessons and recognize the importance of kindness and understanding in real-world interactions.

Given the multiple endings and pathways, readers are incentivized to explore all the story's possibilities, honing their analytical and observational skills in the process.

Interactive novels like The Crawl Space allow readers to see how different choices can lead to different story arcs, deepening their understanding of storytelling mechanics.

I wrote The Crawl Space to give readers the control I once longed for. The ability to shape a story is powerful, and my hope is that it encourages readers to take ownership of their own lives and choices.

The interactive nature of The Crawl Space, with its 24 choices and 11 alternate endings, challenges readers to make decisions that will determine the outcome of the story. This exercises the ability to think critically and evaluate the consequences of one's actions.

By placing the reader in the shoes of the bullies trapped in a haunted school, they can experience the fears and vulnerabilities of the antagonists. This can help cultivate empathy towards even those who might not seem deserving.

The Crawl Space provides opportunities for readers to reflect on the ethics of revenge, punishment, and justice, sparking valuable internal dialogues.

Mark, a middle schooler from The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills, sits cross-legged, wearing a blue shirt and sneakers. Thoughtful and strategic, he’s always calculating his next move.

Get Your Signed Copy!

Cover of The Crawl Space by Arthur Mills. Features glowing red eyes above an old wooden chest emitting light, with a skeleton reaching toward it, symbolizing the story’s haunted mystery.
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SKU BPB-TCS-2012-01
When the principal punishes three middle school boys for bullying a fellow student, they find themselves trapped in the haunted school over the weekend. What happens next is up to the reader in the teen/young adult interactive novel, The Crawl Space.   The Crawl Space Features 24 Choices and 11 Alternate... Read More

Also Available on Amazon

You can purchase The Crawl Space directly from my Shopify store or from Amazon—each option has its advantages. Buying here means you'll receive a personally signed copy and directly support me as an indie author, since Amazon takes a significant percentage of sales and doesn't offer signed copies. However, Amazon provides faster and sometimes free shipping, plus easy returns, whereas signed copies from my Shopify store are non-returnable. The choice is yours, and I appreciate your support either way!

Testimonials

Amazon Review

I started reading this book before what I really knew what it was about – or what it was. When I came to the first choice, I started laughing – my mind flying back 20 years to when I Chose my Own Adventures. Arthur M. Mills Jr. has created the new generation of this kind of insightful, exciting and interactive novel with “The Crawl Space.”

Amazon Review

We've been purchasing a couple of bullying books for my son because he has experienced some of this at school and we wanted him to understand that he is not alone. I had no idea that this was an interactive book and this is such a great thing for the kids to be able to participate in the story.

Amazon Review

I am eight and I thought this book was SUPER exciting also interesting and it got very scary when it got nearer to the end. I really liked the parts when we could choose which places to go to, and I think the three characters (Bruce, Charles and Mark) were creatively made.