Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom

Wolf (The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep) blends swashbuckling mystery with ecological disaster in an epic novel about one family’s 100-year-old connection with Lake Peigneur, in the Louisiana wetlands. A first-person prologue is narrated by the lake itself; subsequent chapters recount the history of the lake, including the arrival of pirates in 1820, the treasure they buried, and the riddles they left behind. Alternating sections follow 12-year-old Junius Leak in 1980. Spending the summer away from his arguing parents back in Atlanta with his uncle Spot, whom he hadn’t previously met, on Spot’s houseboat in Delcambre, La., Junius—a highly sensitive person—struggles to manage his fear of water. It becomes more pronounced throughout his stay, aggravating his anxiety and increasing the frequency of his spontaneous vocalizations. Nevertheless, he finds solace in bonding with Uncle Spot and the townsfolk. As Junius wonders why his mother kept him away from Delcambre, he learns of the centuries-old history of drilling and mining in Lake Peigneur, which resurfaces to catastrophic results. Weighty topics such as grief and mental health are empathetically tackled by Wolf, who deploys captivating prose to spin a clever and engrossing adventure. Characters’ tender interactions and riveting backstories—enriched with Cajun cultural detail—add texture. Ages 10–14. (July)