Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom By Allan Wolf

Some stories pull you in like a current. This one? It practically sweeps you off the dock.

Booklist called it “a dazzling tale,” and in a starred review praised its “vividly depicted events, the strong cast, and the young protagonist’s personal triumphs”—noting there’s “wow-worthy content aplenty here.” We couldn’t agree more.

Meet thirteen-year-old Junius Leak: self-appointed expert on waterbodies, author of the encyclopedic Amazing Waterbodies of the World, and the reluctant hero of this one. Junius adores lakes and rivers. The trouble is, they don’t seem to love him back.

When his parents send him off to spend ten awkward days with a near-stranger uncle on a rickety houseboat in Delcambre, Louisiana, Junius has two goals: uncover why his mom left town when he was a baby, and conquer his deep fear of water. But Lake Peigneur has plans of its own—plans tangled up in a hundred-year-old family feud, buried pirate treasure, and a real-life disaster waiting just beneath the surface.

Part mystery. Part fantasy-adventure. Part riveting true story, woven around the actual 1980 Lake Peigneur drilling accident. Told in alternating voices—a Highly Sensitive young hero and the wry, long-memoried lake itself—this is a tale-within-a-tale that lingers long after the last page.

Perfect for readers ages 8 to 12 who love a good adventure with real heart. A wonderful choice for sensitive kids who feel deeply and dream big.

Come find it on our middle grade shelves, just steps from the salt air. We think it’ll make quite a splash.

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