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.

* A Children's Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Book * CDE Recommended Reading 6th-8th Grades * 2023 Capitol Choices * VLA Cardinal Cup for Historical Fiction * Bank Street College Best Book

How does a girl fight an enemy she can’t see and a sorrow that’s drowning her own family?

WWII Historical Fiction: Discover the little-known story of Nazi U-boats stalking the shores of Tidewater Virginia, bringing the war to one family’s doorstep.
Strong Female Protagonist: Meet Louisa June, a girl determined to combat the enemy in the waves while navigating her mother’s overwhelming sorrow at home.
Sibling Bonds: A heartbreaking and beautiful portrayal of a sister’s love for her brother and the memories that become a lifeline after loss.
Mother-Daughter Relationship: A tender look at a daughter’s quest to find moments of beauty—daffodils, stories, daring rescues—to buoy her mother through a sea of grief.

Louisa June and the Nazis in the Waves

Louisa June and the Nazis in the Waves