Tumble by Celia C. Pérez

Abstract

Reviewed by: Tumble by Celia C. Pérez Elizabeth Bush Pérez, Celia C. Tumble. Kokila, 2022 [368p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593325179 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593325193 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 5-8 In Adela's corner of New Mexico, lucha libre is a big deal, and she bonds with her stepfather, Alex, over the spectator sport. When Alex and Mom bring up the welcome possibility of Alex formally adopting Adelita, it also opens the door for the seventh grader to press for answers about her biological father, who has for years remained an off-limits topic of discussion. After ransacking Mom's room for clues and searching both online and through the local historical society, Adela discovers her father is a member of the Bravo family of noted regional luchadors. With that skeleton now out of the closet, Mom agrees her daughter may as well meet him and see for herself why Mom and Manny parted ways soon after her birth. A surprisingly warm welcome from the Bravo clan and the novelty of involvement in lucha history and tradition delights Adela, but her father is too busy angling for a comeback to be the reliable parent Adela fantasized. A subplot involving a school production of The Nutcracker that annually features a creative twist (this year, a planned wrestling match between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King) adds shape to the domestic drama. While treating Adela's experience with patience and respect, Pérez (Strange Birds, BCCB 10/19) considers the impact of the reunion on adult members of both families, as Adela does not have exclusive claim to the joy, regret, and uncertainty that this new family configuration brings. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois