Daphne, 13, isn’t happy about spending the summer in Oakland with her dad, but her mom got a career break and is in Prague filming a movie. Daphne (white) has never forgiven her dad for standing her up on her tenth birthday, when he was supposed to meet her at the skate park and teach her an ollie. She was not only hurt and humiliated; she broke her arm when she tried the move on her own and hasn’t skated since. Her dad has since gone into treatment for his alcoholism, but Daphne doesn’t feel safe trusting him with her heart. Over the course of the summer, she can see her dad is trying to repair their relationship and improve his life–made possible in part by a strong support network, including her paternal grandparents and his good friend Gus, as well as AA. She slowly, realistically drops her defenses, helped by the friendship she forms with Alex, the son of Gus’s girlfriend. Skating is a way to connect with her dad, but they both know it can’t be the only way: Talking about the past is essential. In doing so, Daphne finds her anger shifting to her mom. Daphne’s feelings toward both her parents are vivid and realistically self-righteous in a story with flawed, likable characters. What’s clear in the end is that both Daphne’s parents love her. A story about family, friendship, and learning to trust again rolls along with plenty of skateboard action.  (Ages 9-12)

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.