Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Follow the journey of a tumbling tumbleweed.In this picture book, lilting-or, more accurately, tumbling-rhyming couplets help readers bounce along with a tumbleweed as, over a period of unspecified time, winds roll it across the shifting terrains of dusty desert sands. What a journey this is. While the text is simple, with usually one couplet or simple phrase appearing on a page, the life forms that the plant encounters are complex. The tumbleweed and readers meet with a marvelous display of biodiversity-other plants and animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects-that proves that a desert bursts with life and myriad wonders. In the course of its travels over day into night and from sunshine into a thunderstorm, the tumbleweed comes into bloom, then travels onward: "Wind blows…Tumble goes and goes and goes." Who knows where? Readers will have already learned from the gentle text that the possibilities are probably endless. Adults sharing this charming book about a little-known plant and its environs should encourage children to suggest-perhaps with simple rhymes-or illustrate what else the tumbleweed might meet as the wind rolls it across a desert. The many changes in colors in the illustrations suggest the desert's vitality; dotted lines track the tumbleweed's path and rotating movements. Some pages are wordless, allowing readers to focus on the evocative natural scenes and up-close views of wildlife. (This book was reviewed digitally.)Deceptively simple yet wondrous. (can you spot the plants and animals? fun facts about tumbleweeds) (Informational picture book. 3-6)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

PreS-Gr 1 —"Wind blows/ Tumble goes." Drifting with the desert wind, a lone tumbleweed introduces the plants and animals living in an arid terrain. A collared lizard soaks up the rays of a sultry sun, a roadrunner struts across a desolate highway, and burrowing owls emerge from ground nests. The tumbleweed freely rolls until it is entangled with a prickly pear cactus. Rain drops begin to fall, the tumbleweed anchors its roots, and pinhead-sized pink flowers bloom. Soon the scorching sun beats down on the tumbleweed and the plant dries, curling until the its roots snap and it is once again wandering through the desert. Mirroring the cyclical life of the tumbleweed, the story ends as it begins. Bergstrom's story is told in short, rhyming couplets paired with rich, earthy illustrations. Movement is a prominent theme in this story, evident by wisps of blowing wind and bouncing dashed lines trailing the tumbleweed. This dynamism is emulated through the text's font; ellipses curl up as the wind blows, letters hop when the tumbleweed bounces, words waver in the wind as a cactus sways. Back matter contains a visual index of the desert life seen throughout the story, challenging readers to a game of look-and-find. A section of satisfying facts about tumbleweeds is provided for the questions curious minds are likely to have about this nomadic plant. VERDICT Dusted with a hint of whimsy, this playful primer on desert life is perfect for all libraries.—Emily Brush

ALA Booklist (Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

"Wind blows . . . / Tumble goes. / Fence stops. / Tumble hops. / Cactus waves, / Tumble stays." Using succinct rhymes, Bergstrom follows a lone tumbleweed as it blows across a dry landscape, encountering prickly pear cacti, jackrabbits, and wolves. When rain arrives, Tumble attaches itself to the soil, where it unfurls, sprouting green leaves and pink blossoms that attract ladybugs and dotted skipper butterflies. Then the heat returns, and Tumble folds back up, rolling away in the wind. This simple introduction to an arid ecosystem features richly hued landscapes, clearly depicted flora and fauna, and bold broken lines that convey this weed's often bouncy path. Earth tones and oranges predominate in the dry-season artwork, while blues, greens, and pinks burst forth on rainy spreads. Backgrounds are uncluttered, allowing the plants and animals to remain a central focus. Appended with an illustrated list of animals and plants portrayed and fun facts about these diaspores, this will be a welcome addition to primary science units.

Horn Book (Thu Sep 07 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Propelled by the wind, a dry, brown tumbleweed named Tumble travels across the desert, its journey depicted by a series of dotted lines reminiscent of the bouncing ball following words in a song. Short, direct sentences on each double-page spread describe the action: "Wind blows. / Tumble goes. / Fence stops. / Tumble hops." Full-bleed, bold-hued illustrations mirror the text and add native animals (such as a collared lizard) and plants (a mesquite tree) that appear along the way. "Tumble goes and goes and goes," until a cactus impedes its progress. There, the protagonist stays for several days. Rain falls; Tumble puts down roots, turns green, blooms, and dries out, carrying its seeds as the wind again blows it across the desert. An appended double-page spread identifies the plants and animals, asking youngsters to spot them in the text and subtly reinforcing that reading is an active process. The book concludes with additional facts about tumbleweeds; a diagram of a tumbleweed's life cycle may need adult clarification, since the narrative begins in the middle of the cycle. The book begs for a group read-aloud that allows youngsters to re-create Tumble's hopping, going, stopping, and staying. Betty Carter

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Follow the journey of a tumbling tumbleweed.In this picture book, lilting-or, more accurately, tumbling-rhyming couplets help readers bounce along with a tumbleweed as, over a period of unspecified time, winds roll it across the shifting terrains of dusty desert sands. What a journey this is. While the text is simple, with usually one couplet or simple phrase appearing on a page, the life forms that the plant encounters are complex. The tumbleweed and readers meet with a marvelous display of biodiversity-other plants and animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects-that proves that a desert bursts with life and myriad wonders. In the course of its travels over day into night and from sunshine into a thunderstorm, the tumbleweed comes into bloom, then travels onward: "Wind blows…Tumble goes and goes and goes." Who knows where? Readers will have already learned from the gentle text that the possibilities are probably endless. Adults sharing this charming book about a little-known plant and its environs should encourage children to suggest-perhaps with simple rhymes-or illustrate what else the tumbleweed might meet as the wind rolls it across a desert. The many changes in colors in the illustrations suggest the desert's vitality; dotted lines track the tumbleweed's path and rotating movements. Some pages are wordless, allowing readers to focus on the evocative natural scenes and up-close views of wildlife. (This book was reviewed digitally.)Deceptively simple yet wondrous. (can you spot the plants and animals? fun facts about tumbleweeds) (Informational picture book. 3-6)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

“Wind blows...// Tumble goes,” writes Hernández Bergstrom, rhythmically tracing the life cycle of tumbleweeds while introducing readers to desert flora and fauna. Rough-edged renderings have a stamped quality as they picture the spiky ball-like plant as it “hops,” “pops,” and “blooms” into delicate mauve flowers before the whole cycle begins anew. Along the way, the plant passes baby javelina, burrowing owls, and a roadrunner, among other life forms—until “Cactus waves” and “Tumble stays,” stuck to its spines. When a nighttime thunderstorm arrives, the tumbleweed sphere greens, unfurls, and blooms, becoming a stopping point for insects, until a glowing golden sun dries it up just in time for the wind to blow again. Simple prose and spare scenes successfully convey desert ecology through the experiences of the humble “tumble.” Back matter includes facts and identifies species spottable throughout. Ages 4–6. (June)