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Learning to Fall

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( 171 ratings, 53 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Learning to Fall by Sally Engelfried follows young Daphne as she navigates the challenges of moving to a new town and adjusting to her father's sobriety journey. Daphne discovers resilience and growth through the ups and downs of skateboarding, forming new friendships and understanding the complexities of family dynamics. It's a heartfelt tale about overcoming obstacles and finding one's path.
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Format: Hardback
$2999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you enjoy heartfelt stories about resilience and personal growth. It follows a young protagonist navigating challenges and discovering the strength to overcome obstacles. It's a great choice for those who appreciate touching narratives about friendship, family, and self-discovery.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

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.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Daphne doesn't want to be stuck in Oakland with her dad. She wants to get on the first plane to Prague, where her mum is shooting a movie. Armed with her grandparents' phone number and strict instructions from her mum 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.

Learning to Fall by Sally Engelfried explores themes of forgiveness, growth, and resilience, all through the lens of a young girl's relationship with her father and their shared passion for skateboarding.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Learning to Fall has been praised as an authentic and hopeful story that combines a young girl's passion for skateboarding with her struggles to understand and forgive an alcoholic parent, supported by family and friends. Reviews highlight Engelfried's focus on the complexities of recovery, forgiveness, and the resonant theme of family. The book has been described as both a coming-of-age novel and a sports book, filled with joy, struggle, and healing, and it captures the heart with its relatable and inspiring narrative.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780316367974

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 29 September 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Little, Brown Young Readers

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 340g

Pages: 224

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. You can visit her website at sallyengelfried.com.

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