Tumble

“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)