Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom

by Allan Wolf Narrated by Matt Weisgerber

Overview

Part mystery, part fantasy-adventure, part riveting real-life disaster, this deft tale-within-a-tale blends the history of the 1980 Lake Peigneur drilling accident with a fateful quest for pirate treasure.



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. Delcambre, Louisiana, where Junius was born, is awash with unwelcome surprises. He determines to learn why his mom left town when he was a baby-and to conquer his fear of water at the same time. But the lake has other plans for him, plans tied to a hundred-year-old family feud and a swashbuckling mystery. When disaster strikes, Junius must dive deep within to emerge an unlikely hero. Alternating viewpoints spin the perceptions of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)-and the wry voice of a lake with a long memory-into an inventive tale of sunken treasure and buried secrets anchored by a dramatic true event.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Wolf's latest weaves a dazzling tale. . . .Considering the vividly depicted events, the strong cast, and the young protagonist’s personal triumphs, there’s wow-worthy content aplenty here.
—Booklist (starred review)

Wolf (The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep) blends swashbuckling mystery with ecological disaster in an epic novel. . . . Weighty topics such as grief and mental health are empathetically tackled by Wolf, who deploys captivating prose to spin a clever and engrossing adventure.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This expansive, multilayered tale combines a pirate treasure mystery, environmental science and activism, Cajun cultural influences, and deep acceptance of and compassion for neurodivergence. An immersive and grounded story of becoming and self-discovery.
—Kirkus Reviews

Like its doomed lake, Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom spins you around, pulls you in, and lifts you up again, revealing buried treasure along the way.
—Alan Gratz, New York Times best-selling author of Refugee and Heroes

In a swashbuckling swirl of fact, fantasy, pirates, treasure, and science, Allan Wolf introduces us to Junius Leak, an almost teen who assures us that nobility and courage lurk in the most timid heart.
—Ann E. Burg, acclaimed author of All the Broken Pieces and Flooded: Requiem for Johnstown

Kirkus Reviews

2025-04-04
A lake recounts its historical connections to the family of a boy who’s been “exiled to a strange, watery land.”

“I am a lake, so let me be clear,” insists Lake Peigneur, an ancient body of water deep in Louisiana’s Mississippi Delta. But for Junius Leak, who’s nearly 13 in the summer of 1980, things are far from clear. From the lake’s perspective, the reason for the return of the latest in a long line of Junius Leaks to his birthplace is obvious, with origins in 1820, involving pirates and the first infant Junius. While his parents attend a retreat to work on their marriage, the current Junius, who reads white, faces a surprise trip to Delcambre, Louisiana, to stay with a maternal uncle he’d never heard of. Despite upsides, like new friends, Aunt Boudreaux (a sassy and occasionally problematic cat), and firsthand experiences with his special interest (bodies of water), the move has downsides, too, like how terrifying such bodies of water can be up close and the frustrating lack of communication around his biggest family-related questions. Although the term was coined in the mid-1990s, Junius’ mom is a self-described “highly sensitive person”; she tells her son, “June Bug…us HSPs have to stick together,” and the book includes helpful coping mechanisms. This expansive, multilayered tale combines a pirate treasure mystery, environmental science and activism, Cajun cultural influences, and deep acceptance of and compassion for neurodivergence.

An immersive and grounded story of becoming and self-discovery. (author's note, glossary, resources, map)(Adventure. 10-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940194238743
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	07/01/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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