LOUISA JUNE AND THE NAZIS IN THE WAVES

Narrator Elizabeth Wiley commendably introduces a WWII-era Virginia family that is coping with the little-known phenomenon of U-boats bombing watercraft on the U.S. coast. Listeners meet 12-year-old Louisa June Wallace, who is brokenhearted after her family's tugboat is attacked, an act that kills her brother, Butler. Wiley ebulliently paints country life; family book discussions; Daddy's gentleness, especially to his severely depressed wife; and feisty Louisa, who is determined to do her bit for the war to honor Butler. Radio broadcasts, including Eleanor Roosevelt's pep talks, add atmosphere. Wiley produces astonishing sound effects of animals, birds, and sea life, which enhance the superlative text. Most unforgettable is eccentric cousin Belle, whose shrill yet authoritative voice is appropriately comical. This unforgettable listen includes worthwhile historical tidbits. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2022]