  | Junius Leak and the spiraling vortex of doom Author: Wolf, Allan | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
When thirteen-year-old Junius Leak-expert on waterbodies and creator of the encyclopedic Amazing Waterbodies of the World-steps foot on Uncle Spot's rickety dock on Lake Peigneur, the truth assails him: he may love waterbodies, but that doesn't mean they love him back. The latest in a long line of Junius Leaks, he's the first to be doomed to ten days of awkwardness and boredom on a houseboat with a relative he doesn't know while his parents "work on" their marriage.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG+ Reading Level: 5.50 Points: 16.0 Quiz: 554669 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (05/01/25)
School Library Journal (07/01/25)
Booklist (+) (00/05/25)
The Hornbook (00/06/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 07/01/2025 Gr 4–7—Twelve-year-old Junius, who is white, has had a rough go of it lately, from the unfortunate chocolate milk incident to his parents needing to work things out. The butterflies in his stomach are chaotic as his (step) dad drops him in small-town Louisiana with family for a few days, where his mom Junius (June) Leak grew up. The long line of Junius Leaks presents a parallel to the oft-untold pirate stories of Louisiana's shores throughout this shifting-time-line tale. Though this middle grade novel is on the longer side, the back-and-forth nature of historical events in this small Louisiana town pairs nicely with the 1980s setting. The narrator, a lake, provides a unique point of view as it has seen all the changes to the people and the town in the last 100 years, but the focus lies within the most current Junius Leak. A coming-of-teen arc allows Junius to find ways to exist with his anxiety, uncover some of his history, and step into teenhood in a healed state. The subtle representation of neurodivergence and invisible health conditions is well woven into quite a few characters and will provide a mirror to many. This swashbuckling story across time will pull readers in like a vortex. VERDICT Short list this title for middle grade library collections and recommend to readers, reluctant or not, with an interest in pirates, history, bodies of water, or atypical family structures.—Samantha Hull - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
