Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Rivera, Lilliam. Barely Floating. Penguin, 29 Aug. 2023.
PLOT SUMMARY:
You follow Natalie (Nat) through this coming-of-age story. She is immature and rough
around the edges as she experiences youth and growing up. As many young people do,
she comes to a point where she wants to take steps in a direction where her parents do
not agree with her. She is a great swimmer but becomes obsessed with a synchronized
swimming team. Her activist parents believe this sport is too body conscious. Against
her parents’ judgement and permission, she joins the team without their consent. You
follow this pre-teen as she navigates body issues, parent issues, classist issues and
anger issues.
CRITICAL REVIEW:
This book is a reflection of a girl’s life. It describes two sides of what a girl wants to do
and the question of if society will accept her in it. This girl, Nat, fights for everything she
has which is an aspect of Latinx literature. She deduces that society and even her own
parents don’t feel like she belongs in the role that she desires, becoming a
synchronized swimmer. There are factors of body issues that are explored in this book
which is such a pivotal issue for girls this age growing up in any culture. Nat is growing
up in a Hispanic family with brothers. She has very progressive parents that are living
their lives to support specific causes, it is confusing to this character that she is not one
of their causes. In this book Nat has to balance so many things: school, friends, sports,
parent approval, religion and body issues. This is a book about a young person
struggling to find their place in the face of adversity but also growing at the same time.
AWARDS:
Booklist Best Books of 2023
Kobo Best Books of 2023 – Kids
2024 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
2024 Bank Street Best Children’s Book
The Latinidad List Best Latino Books 2023
2025 Rhode Island Latino Book Award Master list
2025-2026 Land of Enchantment Book Award Nominee – New Mexico
Pura Belpre Honor Award
CONNECTIONS:
You can have students reflect on their lives and their parents’ aspirations are for them.
Do they relate to Nat or no?
Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson
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