By
These days I'm glued to my television 
watching the Games, and one of my favorite sports is always women's gymnastics. I still remember watching 14-year-old Dominique Moceanu and her teammates win the gold in 1996, and now she's written both a memoir and a new four-part series for kids ages 10 and up called Go-for-Gold Gymnasts that is perfect for all the young girls who will be inspired by this year's crop of Olympians.
The series uses Moceanu's experiences to inform the stories, following four young athletes through the world of competitive gymnastics and the balancing act of having a normal life while still reaching for the gold. The girls build strong friendships while still addressing issues like body image, fear, and dealing with cliques. In the exclusive podcast below, featured Summer Reading author Moceanu talks about how the series relates to her own experiences, her love of reading (Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine were two of her favorite authors), and how to set small achievable goals to help reach your dream.
