Learning to Fall

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

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 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.