Louisa June and the Nazis in the Waves

In this moving and timeless story, award-winning author L. M. Elliott captures life on the U.S. homefront during World War II, weaving a rich portrait of a family reeling from loss and the chilling yet hopeful voyage of fighting for what matters, perfect for fans of The War That Saved My Life.
Days after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Hitler declared war on the U.S., unleashing U-boat submarines to attack American ships. Suddenly, the waves outside Louisa June’s farm aren’t for eel-fishing or marveling at wild swans or learning to skull her family’s boat—they’re dangerous, swarming with hidden enemies.
Her oldest brothers’ ships risk coming face-to-face with U-boats. Her sister leaves home to weld Liberty Boat hulls. And then her daddy, a tugboat captain, and her dearest brother, Butler, are caught in the crossfire.
Her mama has always swum in a sea of melancholy, but now she really needs Louisa June to find moments of beauty or inspiration to buoy her. Like sunshine-yellow daffodils, good books, or news accounts of daring rescues of torpedoed passengers.
Determined to help her Mama and aching to combat Nazis herself, Louisa June turns to her quirky friend Emmett and the indomitable Cousin Belle, who has her own war stories—and a herd of cats—to share. In the end, after a perilous sail, Louisa June learns the greatest lifeline is love.
From School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-Middle grade lovers of World War II historical fiction will find this title engrossing. Thirteen-year-old Louisa June lives along the coast of Virginia at the start of American involvement in World War II, as Hitler begins sending U-boats to attack U.S. ships. Her father and brothers work on boats, and will soon be signing up to help with the war effort. Louisa June's family is directly affected by a torpedo, sent into a tailspin after her father's tugboat is sunk by the Nazis. Her parents deal with their grief, while she figures out her place in the war and how a teenage girl can be of any help like her older siblings. Cousin Belle proves to be a bellwether figure to the family and an advocate for Louisa June while her mother suffers from depression and debilitating anxiety. Many readers will be surprised to learn about German U-boats torpedoing the East Coast of the United States after Pearl Harbor. Elliot's story delivers facts and a thoughtful approach to characters experiencing grief and depression, while adding some maritime adventure in a segment where the family comes together to rescue a British sailor. The conclusion happens swiftly, possibly leaving readers disappointed in not knowing what happens next to Louisa June and her loved ones after the daring rescue. Elliot provides a thorough author's note to dispel any doubts about the authenticity of the events written about in the course of the novel. Main characters are cued as white. VERDICT A must-have for all middle grade historical fiction collections. Recommend to those who enjoyed Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's The War That Saved My Life and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's Making Bombs for Hitler.-Kim Gardnerα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.