I Felt Myself Slipping

A TLA Maverick 2025 Nominee

"[A] sweet, tender story about the importance of courage and connection, which will appeal to readers who enjoy nostalgia, gymnastics, or loving queer friendships." —Kirkus

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 for fans of Spinning, Heartstopper, and Check, Please!.

When level-ten gymnast Riley Glass joins the team at Station Six Gymnastics, she finds unexpected friendship in fellow gymnast Kota Iwamoto as the pair strive toward their Olympian dreams together.

After losing her dad in a car accident, Riley moves to Stephon, Illinois, where she struggles to fit in with the other gymnasts. She misses her friends back home and is cautious of making new friendships at Station Six, which is made all the more difficult as she's hard of hearing and none of her new teammates know ASL. When she meets Kota, Riley is surprised by Kota’s effort in learning ASL in order to communicate with her. Kota is determined to make Riley 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 of achieving her goals. As they make their way to the prestigious U.S. Classic gymnastics event, their future as friends and as gymnasts will be put to the test.

About the Author

Cartoonist Ray Nadine was a competitive gymnast for a decade as a teen and wished there were gymnastics comics, so they made one. Ray is a Chicago transplant from St. Louis who makes comics and plays too many video games. Trying new fun drinks is their favorite hobby, and they collect wheat pennies. More of their projects are at raynadine.com!