Thankfully, since 2016 when she wrote that piece, we’ve had quite a few novels set in that world. However, in at least one way, they are still lacking: we definitely need more novels about gymnastics by authors of colour. The sport has been increasingly diverse in the U.S. in the last decade or so. All three gymnasts on the podium in this past summer’s National Championships were Black women, and in 2021, Sunisa Lee was the first Asian American to win Olympic gold in the all-around competition. We increasingly have memoirs by authors of colour: Grace, Gold and Glory by Gabrielle (“Gabby”) Douglas, Courage to Soar by Simone Biles, and I Got This by Laurie Hernandez. I hope that in the future we’ll see more novels that reflect this new and improving reality of diversity in gymnastics. But in the meantime, let’s tumble into the pages of these novels. Want to read more about the sport? Check out Gimme Some Gymnastics Books, Please and Gymnastics Books For All Ages.
