Learning to Fall

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.