The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur

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.)