Tumble & Blue

by Cassie Beasley

From the New York Times bestselling author of Circus Mirandus comes the magic-infused story of a golden gator, two cursed kids, and how they take their destinies into their own hands.

When the red moon rises over the heart of the Okefenokee swamp, legend says that the mysterious golden gator Munch will grant good luck to the poor soul foolish enough to face him.

But in 1817, when TWO fools reach him at the same time, the night’s fate is split. With disastrous consequences for both . . . and their descendants. Half of the descendants have great fates, and the other half have terrible ones.

Now, Tumble Wilson and Blue Montgomery are determined to fix their ancestors’ mistakes and banish the bad luck that’s followed them around for all of their lives. They’re going to face Munch the gator themselves, and they’re going to reclaim their destinies.

But what if the legend of Munch is nothing but a legend, after all?

Full of friendship, family, and the everyday magic and adventure that readers of Savvy and A Snicker of Magic love, Cassie Beasley’s newest middle grade book is another crowd-pleasing heart-warmer—perfect for reading by yourself, or sharing with someone you love.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Magical Realism, Adventure, Friendship, Childrens

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2017

About the author

Author of Circus Mirandus, Tumble & Blue, and The Bootlace Magician .

Hi there! And thanks for reading!

Exciting news:

The Bootlace Magician is coming on October 1! I'm so, so, so happy about this story. It's the sequel to Circus Mirandus, and I feel like this one is for readers who finished that book and thought, "Okay, I'm ready for more of the circus, more of Micah learning about his talent, and lots more magic."

Of course I love all of my stories, but I think Bootlace is the book that best matches my tastes as a reader. I always want to see behind the scenes of a magical world. This story was my chance to give readers a backstage pass to the circus and let people discover the nooks and crannies that I couldn't show the first time around.

And Micah's coming into his own as a magician in this book. He's dealing with all sorts of new challenges, including the return of his long-lost grandmother. The Bird Woman is back, and she's more dangerous than ever.

I had a lot of fun with this one, and I hope you will, too! October 1 is right around the corner, and you can pre-order the book now just about everywhere.

Feel free to friend, follow, or message me! It may take a while, but I try to get back in touch with everyone. (And if I'm too slow to respond on Goodreads, you can also say hello on TWITTER or on INSTAGRAM.)

Reviews

[Cassie Beasley]

No rating from me for obvious reasons. ;)

Tumble & Blue is that story I've been talking about forever. It's about friendship and fate and family. It's about being a hero when all the odds are stacked against you. And, of course, it's about an alligator named Munch.

I'm so glad that it will be out in the world soon. Happy reading!

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie Beasley has just shown us that she is the real deal. Her books weave a story that is instantly timeless and new. She has a way of making her characters enter your heart and nestle inside. Gorgeously written, beautiful story.

[Robert Beatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice Southern-style story.

[Joanne Kelleher · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I loved Circus Mirandus, and I was so excited to read this book. Unfortunately, I did not like it nearly as much. As I read, I kept looking for the things I had loved about Circus Mirandus, and while I found some similarities (unlikely boy-girl friendship, grandparent in trouble, a magical element, a seemingly impossible and mysterious feat to be accomplished, a selfless act) they didn't gel in a way that made me care about the outcome.
Blue is dropped off for the summer at his grandmother's house, where we meet his large extended family, all of whom are either "cursed" or bestowed with talents. Blue's curse is that he can never win at anything. The number of relatives is overwhelming to Blue (and me, too). Blue meets Tumble, a quirky neighbor who is trying to make up for a tragic event by performing heroic acts. Can she help Blue to become a winner?
There are a couple of side plots in this story, and, for me, there was just too much going on. The more serious plot lines (Tumble's family tragedy) seemed to be given equal weight with sillier ones (one cousin's fake talent and cousin Jenna's fear of hamsters).
While in many cases the narration enhances the story, this was not the case in this audiobook.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book and a very fun read. However, the weird ideas behind the plot reminded me of Greek classics and the fight between humans and fate. And, as you recall from plays like Oedipus Rex for example, fate always wins. In our example, fate is being offered during the red crescent moon by a giant golden were-alligator. Okay...

Anyway, we have a large family where everyone has some particular 'fate.' Some are easier to deal with than others. Our poor hero, Blue, has a fate which is less than desirable. But some have worse ones, and he has learned to live with it. The whole family knows the legend behind what's going on, and everyone is bursting at their seams for the one opportunity to make their own fate just a tad better. Tumble, our other hero, isn't part of the family, but she seems to have a pretty crummy fate as well. Anyway, this is a fun entertaining story of family issues, bravery, friendship and sacrifice.

Long story short, the book is very good and has a good conclusion but has a weird plot as a very prevalent backdrop to the actual stories of family and friendship.

[Ash Otterloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention from front to finish, with a unique magical element and rich southern setting full of zany family. Recommend highly!

[Holly McGhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

On behalf of Marshall Steiner, age 12, a perfect five. He loved it, Cassie!! Blew through it in two days. You're two for two with him now. xox

[The Reading Countess · Rating 5 out of 5]

It must be tough to put a second book out into the world when your first baby was on the New York Times bestseller's list and earned numerous accolades and state awards. I wouldn't know (though secretly, I long to). But somehow Cassie Beasley managed to place another major winner squarely into our hands and hearts. Wow. Readers will fall in love with Tumble and Blue, two unlikely friends with the most impossible of problems. And the alligator. Let's not forget the alligator. Look for Tumble and Blue to receive many head taps. This one is a winner and is most definitely not cursed. Highly recommended!
*Thanks to Cassie Beasley for agreeing, once again, to Skype with my middle grade readers for the second time with her second runaway hit.
"Sometimes," she said in a measured voice, "people would rather give you money than other, harder things."
'Falling down doesn't mean you've fallen for good!'
"Doubters can't be do-gooders."
"Sometimes apologies work better after you've given people time and space to grow."
"If you're having a hard time, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe you'retraining yourself up for something big and tough without even knowing it!"
...he was starting to realize that what he needed was something his dad didn't have to give.

[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read Circus Mirandus and it immediately became one of my favorite books. For me, it is right up there with the Thief of Always by Clive Barker. Therefore I HAD to read Tumble and Blue. I will say right off that it didn't quite have the "magic" that I felt in Circus Mirandus but I did enjoy the direction that it took me. I am a sucker for modern fables, stories created with a simplicity and subtle charm. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the characters. I think there was more of that in this book especially with the vast family members. Stories about curses are not new but there was a freshness and originality to this story of curses. It was like a new unexpected twist on your favorite dessert. I do think I would have enjoyed a different ending but overall, I was very happy with the book and highly recommend it.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Review of digital download from Edelweiss Above the Treeline)Tumble & Blue has a unique plot that will appeal to 5th-7th graders who want a bit of action/adventure mixed into their magic and mystery. The story spins around the Montgomery family, a tale about a curse and blessing dispensing golden alligator, and two kids just trying to make their lives count for something. Blue, abandoned by his father to live with his odd family, and Tumble/Lily, a girl with a secret who yearns to be a hero, develop a friendship that ends with a decision that could change both of them forever. The book's pace slowed a little every now and then, but I was anxious to get to the resolution and was not disappointed when I got there. I look forward to Beasley's second volume about these two friends.

[iamnotabookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I signed up for this book because the title is so cute. Like always, it's the title that gets us first, right? Then the blurb was interesting enough so I went ahead and signed up for this on Netgalley.

Tumble and Blue sounded like a cute love story to me. But it's not really a love story. It's more of friendship and finding or forging your own path of destiny. Tumble and Blue in this story are teenagers who are both very unfortunate, because they are unlucky in some things in life. And it's not just any luck but it's actually a curse handed down from their ancestors.

This story reminded me of the story--Gone South by Robert McCammon which is also set in a bayou or near a swamp. Like McCammon's story, there is also a mysterious aspect in this story and it's a golden alligator. And like the "Bright Girl in Gone South, the gator has a magical power to change the destiny and life of the person who seek its help. The main characters were also both a boy and a girl, except in McCammon's they were adults and their problems were far darker than Tumble and Blue's were. Also, I think McCammon was a lot darker and sadder in tone and in the whole aspect of the story. This one is for Young Adults and is light and funny at most.

I was fascinated by the different lucks and curses the members of Blue's family have. It's interesting. Some are really not so extraordinary and some are just so funny. Others were more serious and even life-threatening. Blue's curse, if you look at it, in the whole scheme of things is actually a bit serious. Imagine never ever going to experience how to win, even in the most mundane of games like Scrabble, though I like Scrabble, it's not nonsense at all. Or ever win in any sport event or any school contest which is part of every student and teenager's life. It's so sad to contemplate and I do feel sorry for Blue. More so, because of his selfish father. Thanks the book Gods, he is so adorable that all this just happens to be so cute and not really to be taken seriously, if I were in the same age bracket. I wouldn't mind him not winning anything, I would gladly be his friend. I would try to win some for him, if that's the case.

Tumble on the other hand is a similar story yet I find her curse not really a curse at all. At her young age, she doesn't need to save the world. And the fact that her heart just want to rescue and help everyone is just big enough. I think, she doesn't need to worry about saving anyone at all. Let the adults, the firemen and all other rescue teams do it. That's why I think Blue's concern is more serious than hers. And I do understand where she's coming from. I know where she got this notion and strong urge to save the whole world. It's guilt. Accurately, survivor's guilt which is more of psychological than rooted back to the curse. And it's not her fault if she survived, because knowing her kind heart, I think she would have done the saving if she had a choice in it.

When these two combined forces and ended up finding comfort and genuine friendship in each other, it felt like their concerns about the curses were not that earth-shattering after all. With them together, they didn't need to feel like they were unlucky or lacking. They were enough for each other. And in the best of friendships, you don't need to have magical powers or special abilities to find loyalty, you only need to be honest and genuine. Show your true self, including all the bad and the scars. If someone's only friends with you because of the benefits then that's not friendship at all but taking advantage.

I enjoyed this story and it's just right that these two found the strength within to prove to the world that they are not their curse. These two proved that they can change what was supposed to be a destined unfortunate life. They have move from what everyone calls their main imperfection and even turned it around. Tumble saved someone which she thought she could never do. She is after all a hero, in her own way. Then, Blue won. He was the first to reach the golden gator. He won, even if he was supposedly destined to never win in his whole lifetime. They twisted their fates and made an even better one for themselves.

What I like about the story is the one about Tumble hero-worshipping this celebrity who made people think he is a real-life superhero, when in truth he's not. But, I forgive Tumble because what drove her was her desperation, and at her young age, she needed someone to look up to. It's just unfortunate because she did not see right through that person. Good thing she eventually found out that he was not worthy of any praise or emulation or anything at all.

I give the book 4/5 gators. This is a story of the underdogs. The story is a reminder that we can be more than what people expect us to be. That we can prove people wrong. That we are more than what our inheritance, family and everything else that we are. That we can be different from what people see our family, we can be better, stronger and kinder. We can be everything we dream of and we should not let the world and people to limit us, shape us, or box us or stop us. This is an inspiring story especially for teenagers who are in the stage of confusion and they feel like they are pulled from all directions. This tells us to just listen to our heart and let's not conform to what the world forces us to be. Let us be what we dream and not because of what people tell us what we can't be.


Another curiosity of the human imagination--this idea that you can un-break something. Piece the fragments of shell together and put the egg back in its nest if you like. What's inside will never fly.
- Cassie Beasley, Tumble and Blue -


Thank you, Netgalley and Cassie Beasley for the copy.

[Furrawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue and Tumble. A golden alligator. Fate. Fire. A swamp. An RV. Family. A moon. Optimism. Rainbow hair. An attic.

What makes a hero? Trying to help someone? Is it the willingness to help? Or is it only the fireman saving a child or superman?

I think anyone can be a hero.

We cannot choose what happens to us sometimes, but we can choose who we are.

I loved this book. I felt the heat of the swamp, the dust in the attic, and everything in between. Up is down.

This is a book that works it’s way into your mind like a fevered dream. Finishing the book feels as if I’ve just returned from a long lovely journey somewhere exotic and a bit dangerous.

[Erin Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisitely written sophomore novel by Cassie Beasley. Incredibly rich characters seek their fates (and a golden alligator named Munch) under the bloodred moon. I found myself giggling at the delightful quirks of the Montgomery Family, so unique and yet so familiar. And valiant Tumble is the book's hero in her own right. But, oh, the lore. How I loved the story's lore and the backdrop of the Okefenokee Swamp.

An evocative novel, seamlessly written.

[Scott Fillner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I have come to hope from Cassie Beasley can be found in Tumble & Blue. It is a magical story set in the swamps of the Deep South. Cassie has a talent of building strong, relatable characters who move a story in a fun, purposeful way.

I cannot wait until readers are able to meet Tumble &a Blue this Fall.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, lovely book. There's nothing wrong with it, but it also didn't grab my soul like I hoped it would. Perfectly good book for kids who like adventures, feel like maybe they won't add up to much, and who march to the beat of their own drum.

[Desirée Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aww this one was really cute. I love it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as many have written, Tumble & Blue is a delightful story. It's all based on a mysterious legend including families near the Okefenokee Swamp. This one includes a red moon rising and a golden gator who will grant good luck to the brave soul who faces him. Unfortunately, two different families are represented and the end result is disaster but not for all. Some are blessed, some cursed!
Eventually, it's up to two young people, Tumble & Blue, who must solve the questions that fate has handed down to their families from many years past. They have good intentions, and become friends with ups and downs, too, yet there are moments when I wanted to applaud and moments I wanted to send them strength. They are brave, make mistakes, and perhaps will become good examples to kids who read this adventure.

[Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet read, like finding the Nancy Drew books as a child all over again. Two children following clues to a grand summer adventure that could change their lives is one of my favourite kinds of stories. In fact, the whole book was magical... until the end. Unfortunately, the ending was so vague as to be annoying and forgetful. I suppose the author wanted to leave it open for a sequel since there is no such thing as a stand alone book anymore, but to have almost zero resolution to everyone's storylines? I'm still frustrated.

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this story about two kids who are struggling to make their way in the world while dealing with big issues in their families. There's a fun supernatural element with great opportunities to talk about the kinds of gifts we receive and how we make the most of our talents with our choices. I love Cassie Beasley's writing!

[Chaitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't a huge fan of Cassie Beasley's Circus Mirandus, but this is a superior book in every way. The two kids - Tumble and Blue - are both very good kids to get behind, and the premise is great as well. The one thing I would have liked was for Blue's father to have a proper talk with Blue, since he was the one sour note in the family, but otherwise this was a great book.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite the story. Blue spending the summer with a crew of unusual relatives. But all he really wants his is sad. Tumble spending the summer with her parents trying to figure out her past and how to get a hero! Can't wait to share with my readers!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the best story I’ve read in a long time. I am always impressed when a southern setting can make me feel at home. It has a charm and humor that is very reminiscent of Sheila Turnage’s stories. I hope we get to see Tumble and Blue in some other stories.

[Alex Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously such a thrill of a book! A different spin on two characters finding friendship, confidence and hope! This was such an adventure diving into the world of Murky Branch and joining the journey of Tumble & Blue. The author Cassie Beasley is a fantastic author!

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure how I feel about this book. I was drawn to the characters, but kept getting confused. It seemed like there were missing details or rushed events. I kept thinking about the sugar pies from The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. I needed more.

[Emily Crowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventure stories where friendship, loyalty, and stoutness of heart rule the day are my favorites. #hufflepuffforever

[Leonard Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imaginative, as was Circus Mirandus. I liked this one better, though I did feel it was somewhat overlong and inefficient.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars because I listened to it. The audio version was very entertaining and I enjoyed it. It's a different kind of book than I usually read, and I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed reading it as much.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical realism story about the decants of cursed families, family secrets, and moving forward.
Ending is a bit frustrating.

[C Harpin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but I like my novels to have clear cut endings. Ambiguous endings frustrate me.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting with a cool plot. Who do you think the character is?