Learning to Fall - Hardcover

Engelfried, Sally

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316367974 ISBN 13: 9780316367974

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022

Synopsis

Twelve-year-old Daphne reconciles with her father, who left her stranded three years ago, and learns forgiveness one fall at a time in this heartwarming debut by Sally Engelfried. For fans of The ​First Rule of Punk.

Daphne doesn't want to be stuck in Oakland with her dad. She wants to get on the first plane to Prague, where her mom is shooting a movie. Armed with her grandparents’ phone number and strict instructions from her mom to call them if her dad starts drinking again, Daphne has no problem being cold to him. But there's one thing Daphne can't keep herself from doing: joining her dad and her new friend Arlo at a weekly skate session. 

When her dad promises to teach her how to ollie and she lands the trick, Daphne starts to believe in him again. He starts to show up for her, and Daphne learns things are not as black and white with her dad as she used to think. The way Daphne’s dad tells it, skating is all about accepting failure and moving on. But can Daphne really let go of her dad’s past mistakes? Either way life is a lot like skating: it’s all about getting back up after you fall. 
 

 

About this title

About the Author

Sally Engelfried was the recipient of a writer’s merit grant for a residency at the Vermont Studio Center in 2018 and the Golden Gate Writer’s Award from SCBWI in 2014. She is currently a children’s librarian in Oakland, California, where she lives with her husband, two cats, and a dog who is fond of stealing slippers. Learning to Fall is her first novel. She invites you to visit her website at sallyengelfried.com.
 

Reviews

Gr 3–7—Twelve-year-old Daphne hasn't seen her dad in three years because of his drinking but now she's being forced to spend the summer with him in Oakland, CA, while her mom films a movie in Prague. Daphne's dad is an avid skateboarder and when she was younger, they used to skateboard together. But, ever since the Skate Park Disaster when she was 10, Daphne's refused to skate. Now in recovery, her dad's trying to reconnect with her but Daphne stubbornly refuses his overtures, instead giving him her "Cold Fish" look. She blames him for her skateboarding accident two years ago when he didn't show up to skate with her as he promised. Her dad's neighbor and best friend Gus is dating a woman who has a son Daphne's age named Arlo, and he is an enthusiastic skateboarder too. With both Arlo and her dad's patience and encouragement, Daphne begins to regain her confidence and love for skateboarding. She even allows Arlo to film her skating for his summer film project. While Daphne can be sharp at times, her unwillingness to initially trust or forgive her dad feels realistic. As she finally begins to thaw and hear him out, she becomes more understanding and empathetic. Arlo and Gus are Mexican American; the rest of the characters are white. VERDICT An authentic and hopeful look at a young girl with a passion for skateboarding who is struggling to understand and forgive an alcoholic parent with the support of family and friends.—Sharon Rawlins

Edition details

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0316367974
• ISBN 13: 9780316367974
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272