Tumble

Twelve-year-old Adela Ramirez lives in New Mexico with her paleontologist mother and her stepdad, Alex, who runs the family diner. When Alex wants to adopt Adela officially, she decides she needs to know about her biological father first; some detective work reveals that he's Manny Bravo, a wrestler from a family of wrestlers. Reluctantly, Adela's mom lets her reconnect with the Bravos, but while her abuela Rosie, twin cousins, and Uncle Mateo are warm and welcoming, her abuelo Pancho suffers from CTE, and her father Manny remains distant. Meanwhile, Addie's best friend Cy is directing their school production of The Nutcracker, and they decide to put their own spin on the show - a lucha libre spin. Rich and wonderful, this is a novel of show more growing up (of course), realizing that the world isn't black-and-white, making decisions, and respecting others' choices as well.

Quotes

I hadn't even considered the possibility of hurting Alex's feelings. I liked to imagine that having hurt feelings was one of those things you outgrew, like a pair of shoes or playing with toys. The idea that you could be a full-grown adult and someone could still hurt your feelings was just too much. (20)

Mom's silence taught me that I wasn't supposed to ask questions, at least not about him. (33)

"But in wrestling, a character's story is never set in stone. It can always change." (Uncle Mateo, 138)

"It's okay to be scared. It's just a sign that you care." (Mrs. González, 163)

"It wasn't impossible, but it wasn't the life I wanted. Half here and half there and never fully anywhere?" (Rosie, 191)

"But don't you ever wonder what your life would be like it you made different choices?" (191)

"Some people choose to improvise and write their own story." (Uncle Mateo, 264)

"I understand what it's like to want to know more about something that's been missing from your life." (Mom, 280)

But I was tired of adults being so busy thinking about themselves and how they were hurt that they couldn't see when they were hurting someone else. (299)

"Why can't everything in life just have a right or wrong answer instead of all these possible choices?" (305) show less

Adela is looking for her biological father, and finds a legacy of lucha libre. Original and cool story, with shout-outs to paleontologists and archives, diner-speak and spirited twists on a familiar play. Really great at contemplating why estrangement happens, and reconnecting family. Love the imagery, the friendships, the ways that Adela grows and changes and figures out how to make decisions for herself. An elegant tween novel.

Addie's stepfather Alex wants to adopt her but Addie is uncertain. She's never known her biological father and Mom doesn't talk about him because there's no point dwelling on the past. Then Addie learns from the local historical society that her biological father is part of a famous local wrestling family. To Mom's dismay, Addie wants to meet Manny before making a decision about the adoption. In the weeks that follow Addie meets Manny and the rest of the Bravo family, visiting every weekend. Addie enjoys getting to know her grandparents Pancho and Rosie, Uncle Mateo and twin cousins Eva and Maggie. But Manny is more elusive, often absent when he promises to meet or late to pick her up, and never quite committing to their relationship. show more Addie compares the family of Greek gods to the drama and complexities of her own family. Even the farce of violence in lucha libre ties to the concealed motivations of the Bravo family. This is a layered and realistic exploration of family dynamics and complicated family history. Many a contemporary young reader may recognize their own family in Addie's story. show less

Teenage Addie loves her stepfather, but is unsure if she wants him to adopt her. She has a million questions, and the first is about the young man in the photo she found hidden away in her mother’s things. Addie’s sleuthing takes her to a New Mexico ranch, and her world expands to include the legendary Bravos, a family of luchadores. Is this her family - or is the real family the one back home?

Adela's step-father wants to adopt her. But before that happens Adela wants to meet her birthfather. The research she ends up doing brings her to the historical society and leads her to the Bravo family. A family of professional wrestlers, of whom her father is a part. While the relationship with him doesn't turn out as she hoped, Adela ends up with a whole new side of her family. There's subplots about a school project and animal rights.

This book is great for middle schoolers because of the length and depth of the book.
Tumble is about Adela and her search for her long-lost family after stumbling across a picture of her birth father. It dives into her family's history as luchadores and her wish to find out who she really is.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it be used in the class library for students to read. It could be used as a way to learn about Mexican culture.

A 2023 Lone Star novel, Tumble introduces us to Addie (Adela) who just wants to know who she is by meeting her family.

The novel begins with Addie's step-father asking if he can adopt her, making him her legal father. Addie asks time to make her decision. She wants to know how her biological father feels about giving up his daughter, which means she needs needs to meet him. Addie's mother has always been secretive about her life with Addie's father. Who is he? Addie's mom contacts him, but he doesn't show up when he's supposed to. Her stepfather drives her to her father's family's house instead. Apparently, there was just a mix-up. There, Addie meets her cousins, her uncle, and her grandmother. They are a famous Luchador family, which show more Addie watches all the time! Who knew! She finds that she loves spending time with her family, but she gets frustrated with how little she sees her father.

Relationships matter; they help determine who we are as individuals. Addie's father says that he plans on being home again and looks forward to spending time with her to get to know her. Addie finds that she loves watching her cousins as they practice wrestling moves. She loves spending time with her grandmother, learning about their lives touring America and Mexico. She meets her grandfather, but he struggles with dementia. She especially enjoys spending time with her Uncle Mateo. He left wrestling to create the costumes. He loves creating them and the masks that Luchador's wear. He reads to kids at the public library dressed up as one way he gives back to the community. He listens to Addie and gives her really good advice. Addie finds love and part of her identity from this famous family. She also finds out why her mother left her father and his family, never spending time with them again. Perhaps this decision wasn't the best one for Addie, but she does learn about her mother's secret past.

You'll enjoy meeting Addie and finding out what happens with her father and whether she chooses to be adopted by her loving step-father. You also meet Addie's friends from school, as they are in charge of the yearly Nutcracker performance. Enjoy reading about this unique New Mexican family as you follow Adela on her journey of self discovery. She's wise for her age, always speaking up for herself with honesty, which makes the adults listen. Isn't that what all kids want? The adults in their lives to listen to them and take their ideas and opinions before making decisions for everyone? Addie's mother and step-father listen and give her the room to make her own decisions and even allows her to guide them to re-evaluate some decisions as well. show less