I Felt Myself Slipping

Former competitive gymnast and cartoonist Ray Nadine (Light Carries On, Raise Hell!, Messenger) tells a touching coming-of-age story about coping with anxiety and loss and forging friendship along the way in an inspired young-adult graphic novel. After losing her dad, level-10 gymnast Riley Glass moves to Stephon, Illinois, where she struggles to fit in with the other gymnasts at Station Six Gymnastics. She misses her old friends and is cautious of making new ones, which is made all the more difficult as she's hard of hearing and none of her new teammates know American Sign Language. When she meets Kota Iwamoto, Riley is surprised by Kota s effort in learning ASL and making her feel more at home. even though she struggles with her own fears and anxieties. Kota wants to be the best gymnast and make it all the way to the Olympics, but her fears of getting injured could stand in the way. As they make their way to the prestigious U.S. Classic gymnastics event, Riley and Kota s future as friends and as gymnasts will be put to the test.