Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In 1980, Lake Peigneur turns into a massive sinkhole, which Wolf (Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom) and Pimienta (Halfway to Somewhere) chronicle in this suspenseful true story. Somewhat stilted but folksy narration from the Louisiana body of water itself introduces the graphic novel's key players: salt miners, oil workers, tugboat operators, fishermen, and wealthy business proprietors. As each group's history--depicted via interweaving story lines--unfolds, the creators highlight the ways they cumulatively fed into one another and led to the titular tragedy. For years, salt miners tunnel underground; then a Texaco contractor drills through the lakebed, flooding mines, melting salt pillars, and endangering laborers. Next an oil derrick collapses, forming a "bathtub drain"--style vortex that swallows barges, trees, and ocean water from a nearby canal. Across this intriguing cautionary tale about industry's impact on the natural world, Wolf depicts the lake as a nonjudgmental entity that does not hold grudges or deliver lectures; rather, it seems content to observe the damage, accept change, and heal. Pimienta utilizes informative geological cross-sections to emphasize the lake's destruction alongside colorful, bucolic views. An author's note provides additional context to this cinematic take on the interconnectedness between humans and nature. Ages 10--14. Illustrator's agent: Elizabeth Bennet, Transatlantic Literary. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--7--The morning of November 20, 1980 started like any other day on Lake Peigneur--a freshwater lake two miles across, 10 feet deep, and "shaped like a Louisiana butter bean." But that day proved to be anything but ordinary when a massive whirlpool opened in the lake, pulling in billions of gallons of water along with an oil derrick, barges, trees, and structures along the shoreline. This graphic novel recounts the harrowing stories of the people who witnessed the lake's shocking disappearance. The narrative shifts perspectives among the witnesses who nearly lost their lives in the disaster, creating tension and highlighting the chaos and confusion of that extraordinary morning. Readers will be in suspense over what happened to the lake until the book's conclusion when causes of the disaster are revealed. While the story of Lake Peigneur is true, there are some fictional elements, such as composite characters, an abbreviated time line, and narration by Lake Peigneur itself. However, facts are carefully distinguished from fiction in the book's back matter and are drawn from quality sources, including interviews with survivors and the use of primary documents. Digital illustrations with muted, retro-feel colors support the narrative and provide details that enhance an understanding of what happened at Lake Peigneur, including maps and diagrams. VERDICT Readers who enjoy true-life mysteries and survival stories will be pulled into this book and inspired to learn more about this little-known but fascinating event.--Danielle Sachdeva
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A true account of an astounding disaster, chronicled as a graphic narrative that reads like an environmental thriller. On November 20, 1980, a routine oil-drilling operation in Louisiana's Lake Peigneur accidentally went catastrophically wrong, creating a breach that allowed lake water to rush into underground mine chambers, draining the entire lake in mere hours. Wolf narrates this incredible story through the voice of the lake itself, weaving together multiple perspectives--from miners trapped 1,300 feet underground to fishermen stranded on the suddenly exposed lakebed. Detailed diagrams, maps, and cross-sectional illustrations help readers unfamiliar with oil rig operations and underground mining truly understand the complex events unfolding. As the stakes escalate--first a stuck drill bit, then a tilting oil rig, then water rushing into the mines--the mounting tension becomes genuinely gripping. Pimienta's artwork brilliantly supports the storytelling through strategic panel design that mirrors the characters' emotional states. Underground scenes confine figures within increasingly numerous small panels, visually conveying the miners' desperation, while more expansive panels capture the scale of the swirling sinkhole above. His palette enhances the drama--inviting greens of the nearby Rip Van Winkle Gardens, oppressive darkness in the salt mine tunnels, and natural earth tones as the landscape literally dissolves. Wolf's meticulous research is apparent in the technical details and authentic dialogue, while his honest acknowledgment of gaps in his investigation only adds credibility. Characters vary in skin tone. A riveting page-turner that will have readers eager to learn more about the topic. (author's note, more information, miscellany, bibliography)(Graphic nonfiction. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
