Barely Floating

“Well-integrated subplots involving a fractured friendship and a character coping with being outed add more depth to an already excellent story.” — Booklist, STARRED Review!

Publishers Weekly Middle Grade Editors’ Pick
2024 Garden State Teen Book Awards finalist (grades 6-8)
Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth 2023
Latinidad Best Books of 2023
California First Partner's Summer Book Club Pick 2024
Pura Belpré Honor recipient (Never Look Back)

Twelve-year-old Nat knows she makes her parents proud. She’s fearless: she’ll stand up to anybody. She’s relentless: she works for what she wants until she gets it, whether it’s beating teenagers in a swim race or making enough money to cosplay at the anime convention every year. She loves her family, her body, her Latina heritage.

Still, Nat’s parents disagree with her on some things, like letting her quick temper take over when some boy’s messing with her cousin. Or how she loves glossy beauty magazines and makeup, even when they never show anyone like her in their pages.

Then Nat finds out about synchronized swimming. A whole bunch of girls in glorious sparkly swimsuits, dancing and doing flips together in the water? Amazing. The L.A. Mermaids are a diverse, disciplined group of athletes, and Nat’s sure she can handle the team fees herself. When her parents say synchro relies too much on looks and Nat can’t join, she refuses to accept it.

Her mom always told her that if she works hard, Nat can do and be whatever she wants. Maybe Nat can be an L.A. Mermaid . . . as long as her parents don’t find out.

Praise for Barely Floating:
“Rivera’s layered, sparkling middle-grade debut is Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’ (2015) by way of Lisa Fipps’ Starfish (2021) ...” —Booklist, STARRED Review!

“In laugh-out-loud, blunt prose, Rivera cultivates a touching and unapologetically positive interpretation of one tween’s desire to break the mold.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review!

“Hand this book to angry kids, to fat kids who deserve to see someone liking their own body, or really to any kids who are looking for a fun read.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, STARRED Review!

“Nat’s radical self-acceptance is a beautiful example for readers: Her unapologetic self-love and empathy make her a compelling character. A body-positive story of growing up that’s sure to make a splash.” —Kirkus

“This compelling character-driven novel will leave readers wanting to spend more time with Nat and her family.” —School Library Journal

“Barely Floating is a heartwarming and hilarious middle grade novel about a girl with an unforgettably fierce spirit who goes after what she wants.” —Latinx In Publishing

“Barely Floating is one of those books that’s going to resonate with readers from all walks of life — swimmers or not.” —Cracking the Cover