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Definitely Daphne (Stone Arch Books)
In front of her followers, Daphne is a hilarious, on-the-rise vlog star. But at school Daphne is the ever-skeptical Annabelle Louis, seventh-grade super geek and perennial new kid. To cope with her mom's upcoming military assignment in Afghanistan and her start at a brand new middle school, Annabelle's parents send her to a therapist. Dr. Varma insists Annabelle try stepping out of her comfort zone, hoping it will give her the confidence to make friends, which she'll definitely need once Mom is gone. Luckily there is one part of the assignment Annabelle DOES enjoy--her vlog, Daphne Doesn't, in which she appears undercover and gives hilarious takes on activities she thinks are a waste of time. She is great at entertaining her online fans, yet her classmates don't know she exists. Can Annabelle keep up the double life forever?
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2018
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September 24, 2018
Please be aware of spoilers in this review.
Annabelle and her father usually travel where her mother’s work takes her but this time her mother’s assignment is TDY (Temporary Duty Yonder) and Annabelle and her father have to stay behind. While she’s serving in Afghanistan for six months Annabelle and her father will be living civilian life. For Annabelle that means the seventh grade, in an actual school with other kids.
All of a sudden the shy girl who used to enjoy being homeschooled while wearing her pyjamas is having fashion emergencies and hiding out in the janitor’s closet. To help Annabelle adjust to civilian life and get a support system in place before her mother’s deployment her parents arrange therapy for her.
This was an easy but predictable read. I loved that the main character’s mother is in the Air Force. I haven’t come across a book for this age group that talks about what it’s like to be a military kid before so I loved that this book explored different characters’ feelings and behaviours relating to this experience. There’s a build up to when Annabelle’s mother needs to leave but .
While I liked the concept of Annabelle talking about trying new things on her vlog I had to suspend my disbelief to get through the sections where the other kids at school are discussing Daphne in front of her, not realising that Annabelle is Daphne. What’s happening in Daphne’s world coincides perfectly with what’s happening at their school and the vlog begins soon after the new kid arrives; the new kid who just so happens to look exactly like Daphne if she was wearing a wig, costume and glasses. Annabelle’s ability to hide in plain sight rivals that of a superhero.
I would have liked to have gotten to know Annabelle’s mother better but enjoyed drooling over her father’s amazing homemade dinners, especially the pizza. I liked Annabelle’s friend John but I never really got much of a sense of Clairna or Nav’s personalities.
I wasn’t quite sure how Rachael was supposed to be maintaining her status as fashion queen if . I also never figured out what made her so popular that her legions of fans needed to wait outside the bathroom to take selfies with her other than the fact that she’s pretty, but then again I actively avoided the popular kids at school so I doubt I’ll ever understand popularity.
I didn’t find Daphne’s vlogs particularly funny but I may be too old and decrepit to understand their humour. I’m always hesitant when I come across kids using slang and referencing specific songs in books because it dates them so quickly so I have that concern for this book. Personally I think the whole ‘squad’ thing has already been overdone.
With the hype surrounding the Daphne’s first two vlogs it didn’t make sense to me that there’d be almost no interest in the third. I would’ve thought that a significant amount of the people who watched the first two would have also watched the third. How would they know it wasn’t as good if only 9 people saw it?!
While I understood that Annabelle has spent years being homeschooled she talks about watching Netflix and references watching rom-coms so I was surprised that she was as clueless about school life as she was. She didn’t know what a locker was or what ‘putting your face on’ means. I did appreciate some of the other humour relating to Annabelle’s lack of experience in the American school system though.
I was more than a little shocked that it was possible to get an emergency Sunday afternoon appointment with a therapist and that when Annabelle’s mother rang the therapist out of the blue they got straight through. I also cringed when the therapist continually shared details of their appointments with Annabelle’s parents. In my experience therapists will outline any exclusions to the confidentiality of their appointments up front and while it was true when the therapist said that nothing shared in the appointment would leave the room, Annabelle’s parents were brought into the room to catch them up. While it didn’t seem to be a big deal for Annabelle I know that if I’d attended therapy as a kid and the therapist had then told my parents everything I told them, any trust I had developed with the therapist would have been broken. I hope that kids who read this book aren’t put off by this.
Hopefully the age group this book is marketed towards won’t have already heard variations of this story so many times they could tell you how it’s going to play out step by step but most of the story felt clichéd to me.
Despite the clichés this was a sweet book and I did enjoy it. I think military kids in particular will find themselves in Annabelle but those whose parents move frequently for work will also relate to constantly being the new kid. I thought Annabelle’s struggles were handled sensitively and appreciated that her strengths were also highlighted.
Completely irrelevant but welcome to my brain: Because I’m weird I tend to accidentally notice patterns in books. If I was going to go all Sesame Street on you this is where I’d tell you that today’s review has been brought to you by the number 2. In the space of three sentences I found ‘Second Chance’, ‘two carts’, ‘Two Tony’s’ and ‘two hours later’. Further down that page there were ‘two screens’. I’m sure this was unintentional but once my brain sees something like this I then look for it for the rest of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. I’d give it 3.5 stars but am rounding up.
Annabelle and her father usually travel where her mother’s work takes her but this time her mother’s assignment is TDY (Temporary Duty Yonder) and Annabelle and her father have to stay behind. While she’s serving in Afghanistan for six months Annabelle and her father will be living civilian life. For Annabelle that means the seventh grade, in an actual school with other kids.
All of a sudden the shy girl who used to enjoy being homeschooled while wearing her pyjamas is having fashion emergencies and hiding out in the janitor’s closet. To help Annabelle adjust to civilian life and get a support system in place before her mother’s deployment her parents arrange therapy for her.
This was an easy but predictable read. I loved that the main character’s mother is in the Air Force. I haven’t come across a book for this age group that talks about what it’s like to be a military kid before so I loved that this book explored different characters’ feelings and behaviours relating to this experience. There’s a build up to when Annabelle’s mother needs to leave but .
While I liked the concept of Annabelle talking about trying new things on her vlog I had to suspend my disbelief to get through the sections where the other kids at school are discussing Daphne in front of her, not realising that Annabelle is Daphne. What’s happening in Daphne’s world coincides perfectly with what’s happening at their school and the vlog begins soon after the new kid arrives; the new kid who just so happens to look exactly like Daphne if she was wearing a wig, costume and glasses. Annabelle’s ability to hide in plain sight rivals that of a superhero.
I would have liked to have gotten to know Annabelle’s mother better but enjoyed drooling over her father’s amazing homemade dinners, especially the pizza. I liked Annabelle’s friend John but I never really got much of a sense of Clairna or Nav’s personalities.
I wasn’t quite sure how Rachael was supposed to be maintaining her status as fashion queen if . I also never figured out what made her so popular that her legions of fans needed to wait outside the bathroom to take selfies with her other than the fact that she’s pretty, but then again I actively avoided the popular kids at school so I doubt I’ll ever understand popularity.
I didn’t find Daphne’s vlogs particularly funny but I may be too old and decrepit to understand their humour. I’m always hesitant when I come across kids using slang and referencing specific songs in books because it dates them so quickly so I have that concern for this book. Personally I think the whole ‘squad’ thing has already been overdone.
With the hype surrounding the Daphne’s first two vlogs it didn’t make sense to me that there’d be almost no interest in the third. I would’ve thought that a significant amount of the people who watched the first two would have also watched the third. How would they know it wasn’t as good if only 9 people saw it?!
While I understood that Annabelle has spent years being homeschooled she talks about watching Netflix and references watching rom-coms so I was surprised that she was as clueless about school life as she was. She didn’t know what a locker was or what ‘putting your face on’ means. I did appreciate some of the other humour relating to Annabelle’s lack of experience in the American school system though.
I was more than a little shocked that it was possible to get an emergency Sunday afternoon appointment with a therapist and that when Annabelle’s mother rang the therapist out of the blue they got straight through. I also cringed when the therapist continually shared details of their appointments with Annabelle’s parents. In my experience therapists will outline any exclusions to the confidentiality of their appointments up front and while it was true when the therapist said that nothing shared in the appointment would leave the room, Annabelle’s parents were brought into the room to catch them up. While it didn’t seem to be a big deal for Annabelle I know that if I’d attended therapy as a kid and the therapist had then told my parents everything I told them, any trust I had developed with the therapist would have been broken. I hope that kids who read this book aren’t put off by this.
Hopefully the age group this book is marketed towards won’t have already heard variations of this story so many times they could tell you how it’s going to play out step by step but most of the story felt clichéd to me.
Despite the clichés this was a sweet book and I did enjoy it. I think military kids in particular will find themselves in Annabelle but those whose parents move frequently for work will also relate to constantly being the new kid. I thought Annabelle’s struggles were handled sensitively and appreciated that her strengths were also highlighted.
Completely irrelevant but welcome to my brain: Because I’m weird I tend to accidentally notice patterns in books. If I was going to go all Sesame Street on you this is where I’d tell you that today’s review has been brought to you by the number 2. In the space of three sentences I found ‘Second Chance’, ‘two carts’, ‘Two Tony’s’ and ‘two hours later’. Further down that page there were ‘two screens’. I’m sure this was unintentional but once my brain sees something like this I then look for it for the rest of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. I’d give it 3.5 stars but am rounding up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 27, 2018**I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
The current publication date is October 1, 2018
The current publication date is October 1, 2018
August 24, 2018
This book was really difficult emotionally for me to read because I can relate to some of Daphne’s experiences. I don’t know what it is like to be in a family that isn’t military. My dad joined the United States Army before I was born and is still in the Army Reserves (22+ years).
While we never moved internationally like Daphne’s family did, my dad has been deployed 4 times (3 international, 1 stateside) and I’m living in state #9.
All 4 of his deployments were in the span of about 8 years and were each at least a year long. I know what it feels like to show up to a new place (again) and not know anyone outside of the family that can relate in the slightest. Deployments wreck everyone. You don’t feel like yourself, you aren’t acting like yourself, and you will never return to ‘normal’. Your friends won’t understand, and some will leave.
I wish I had a book like this to relate to when I was in the thick of military life. At age 22 this book made me cry because it’s the first military kid book that I’ve read.
Any middle or high schooler who gets military kid life will relate to some part of this book.
4/5 stars because I didn’t like the representation of therapy and the lack of client confidentiality between the therapist and Annabelle’s parents. Even though the laws are gray in terms of age of consent and what can be shared with parents, most therapists try to be more respectful when it comes to sharing with parents. I don’t want teenagers to be deterred from therapy because they think the therapist will share everything they say with their parents.
While we never moved internationally like Daphne’s family did, my dad has been deployed 4 times (3 international, 1 stateside) and I’m living in state #9.
All 4 of his deployments were in the span of about 8 years and were each at least a year long. I know what it feels like to show up to a new place (again) and not know anyone outside of the family that can relate in the slightest. Deployments wreck everyone. You don’t feel like yourself, you aren’t acting like yourself, and you will never return to ‘normal’. Your friends won’t understand, and some will leave.
I wish I had a book like this to relate to when I was in the thick of military life. At age 22 this book made me cry because it’s the first military kid book that I’ve read.
Any middle or high schooler who gets military kid life will relate to some part of this book.
4/5 stars because I didn’t like the representation of therapy and the lack of client confidentiality between the therapist and Annabelle’s parents. Even though the laws are gray in terms of age of consent and what can be shared with parents, most therapists try to be more respectful when it comes to sharing with parents. I don’t want teenagers to be deterred from therapy because they think the therapist will share everything they say with their parents.
Did Not Finish
June 28, 2019Definitely Daphne is about a rising vlogger just starting out at a new middle school. But however vocal and outgoing Daphne is on her vlogs, in reality, she's a shy used to being homeschooled named Annabelle. All of that changes when her mother gets a new military assignment.
To cope with all the changes, Daphne's therapist suggests that she try something new and film it. Her vlogs go viral in her middle school circuit and she finds herself struggling to keep her online identity a secret. The author perfectly articulates all the woes of starting a new school and being in a new environment.
Definitely Daphne is an incredibly sweet book for middle-grade readers. She's the type of character any child in the 21st century can relate to. The incorporation of social media in today's books is definitely making readers relate more to the characters that they are reading about.
To cope with all the changes, Daphne's therapist suggests that she try something new and film it. Her vlogs go viral in her middle school circuit and she finds herself struggling to keep her online identity a secret. The author perfectly articulates all the woes of starting a new school and being in a new environment.
Definitely Daphne is an incredibly sweet book for middle-grade readers. She's the type of character any child in the 21st century can relate to. The incorporation of social media in today's books is definitely making readers relate more to the characters that they are reading about.
June 10, 2018
Blurb ↓
In front of her followers, Daphne is a hilarious, on-the-rise vlog star. But at school Daphne is the ever-skeptical Annabelle Louis, seventh-grade super geek and perennial new kid. To cope with her mom's upcoming military assignment in Afghanistan and her start at a brand new middle school, Annabelle's parents send her to a therapist. Dr. Varma insists Annabelle try stepping out of her comfort zone, hoping it will give her the confidence to make friends, which she'll definitely need once Mom is gone. Luckily there is one part of the assignment Annabelle DOES enjoy--her vlog, Daphne Doesn't, in which she appears undercover and gives hilarious takes on activities she thinks are a waste of time. She is great at entertaining her online fans, yet her classmates don't know she exists. Can Annabelle keep up the double life forever?
By my daughter, Age 10 ↓
I really liked this book because of its gripping cliffhangers, exciting writing style that kept you on your toes and the hilarious jokes and puns slipped in. This book is one of my favourites because one day I would love to be an internet vlogging sensation just like Annabelle/Daphne. I felt so sorry for Annabelle when she had to move away from her BFF and start at an American middle school, where she knew no-one. I think I would recommend this to anybody who wants to be a vlogger (i.e. me), people who like drama and people who like gripping secrets. The end is heartwarming and I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone who doesn't like fun!
In front of her followers, Daphne is a hilarious, on-the-rise vlog star. But at school Daphne is the ever-skeptical Annabelle Louis, seventh-grade super geek and perennial new kid. To cope with her mom's upcoming military assignment in Afghanistan and her start at a brand new middle school, Annabelle's parents send her to a therapist. Dr. Varma insists Annabelle try stepping out of her comfort zone, hoping it will give her the confidence to make friends, which she'll definitely need once Mom is gone. Luckily there is one part of the assignment Annabelle DOES enjoy--her vlog, Daphne Doesn't, in which she appears undercover and gives hilarious takes on activities she thinks are a waste of time. She is great at entertaining her online fans, yet her classmates don't know she exists. Can Annabelle keep up the double life forever?
By my daughter, Age 10 ↓
I really liked this book because of its gripping cliffhangers, exciting writing style that kept you on your toes and the hilarious jokes and puns slipped in. This book is one of my favourites because one day I would love to be an internet vlogging sensation just like Annabelle/Daphne. I felt so sorry for Annabelle when she had to move away from her BFF and start at an American middle school, where she knew no-one. I think I would recommend this to anybody who wants to be a vlogger (i.e. me), people who like drama and people who like gripping secrets. The end is heartwarming and I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone who doesn't like fun!
April 9, 2018
Charles, Tami. Definitely Daphne. Stone Arch Books, 2018.
Annabelle is tired of moving and starting over in new locations, and when her military family relocates to the United States and she has to start attending a public school instead of being homeschooled, she isn't sure how she'll fit in with other middle school students. Her therapist suggests that she start a vlog detailing her exploits, and thus Daphne Doesn't is born. Her blog goes viral and soon Annabelle is secretly popular, because she still hasn't told anyone that it's her blog. But some of her classmates are beginning to suspect things. Will Annabelle be able to keep her secret identity a secret, and does she actually want to?
This is a sweet, safe story for tweens to read. Annabelle struggles with being the new kid and with making friends, particularly when one of her frenemies turns out to be a fellow military brat whose father has been deployed for a year. I love that Annabelle has her own style and sticks with it, even if it isn't what is popular at her school. Recommended.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.
Annabelle is tired of moving and starting over in new locations, and when her military family relocates to the United States and she has to start attending a public school instead of being homeschooled, she isn't sure how she'll fit in with other middle school students. Her therapist suggests that she start a vlog detailing her exploits, and thus Daphne Doesn't is born. Her blog goes viral and soon Annabelle is secretly popular, because she still hasn't told anyone that it's her blog. But some of her classmates are beginning to suspect things. Will Annabelle be able to keep her secret identity a secret, and does she actually want to?
This is a sweet, safe story for tweens to read. Annabelle struggles with being the new kid and with making friends, particularly when one of her frenemies turns out to be a fellow military brat whose father has been deployed for a year. I love that Annabelle has her own style and sticks with it, even if it isn't what is popular at her school. Recommended.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.
June 24, 2018
I like this one for middle school girls. Anabelle/Daphne is a character your average young girl can relate too. Some parts of her reminded me of my young cousin who I would really like to purchase this book for. She and her friends like to make little videos and share them. I think she would relate to the Daphne Doesn't vlogs. Incorporating social media into the story makes it relatable to teens. These influencers on social media is who the tweens are following. The author also incorporated things in popular culture that are very popular with that age group like references to songs and slang. Usually I don't like those things in a story but here it worked well.
In addition to dealing with her double life as a YouTube sensation Anabelle also has to deal with her mother's upcoming deployment and adjusting to life in a new country and city. This is her first public school experience in awhile and she's adjusting to middle school after years of homeschool.
It also has an easy to read format.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In addition to dealing with her double life as a YouTube sensation Anabelle also has to deal with her mother's upcoming deployment and adjusting to life in a new country and city. This is her first public school experience in awhile and she's adjusting to middle school after years of homeschool.
It also has an easy to read format.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2018
Definitely Daphne
by Tami Charles
Capstone
Children's Fiction , Humor
Pub Date 01 Oct 2018
I am reviewing a copy of Definitely Daphne through Capstone and Netgalley:
Daphne is a hilarious Vlog star on the rise online but at school she is Anabelle Louis, a seventh grade super geek, perennial kid. Her parents send her to a therapist in order to help her not only deal with a new school but with her Mom’s upcoming Military assignment in Afghanistan as well! Dr Varma tells Annabelle she needs to step out of her comfort zone in order to find the confidence to make new friends something she will definitely need when her Mom leaves on her military assignment. There is one part of this Anabelle does like and that is the vlog, she calls Daphne Doesn't!
In her vlog Annabelle appears undercover as Daphne and she gives hilarious takes on activities she finds to be a waste of time, at the same time though her classmates don't know she exists.
Can Annabelle keep up with this double life?
Find out in Definitely Daphne!
Five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
October 28, 2018
Annabelle Daphne Louis is th new seventh grader, having been a homeschooled Air Force brat. Soon her mom will deploy to Afghanistan and her parents think it might help Annabelle to get out of her shell if she saw a therapist. At the first session, Dr. Varna learns Annabelle is good at making videos, thus her project is to vlog about her life. However, Annabelle disguises herself as Daphne and learn her classmates find the vlog very entertaining, but sooner rather than later Annabelle/Daphne needs to tell the truth about her identity.
The premise of being the child of someone who is going to be deployed is different and it made me better appreciate the situation many kids find themselves in. I also enjoyed the upbeat, contemporary vibe of the story with all the technologies in place--especially how Annabelle keeps in touch with her best friend in England; and the fact that Annabelle is culturally diverse. A fun read and now I want to read the other Daphne books.
The premise of being the child of someone who is going to be deployed is different and it made me better appreciate the situation many kids find themselves in. I also enjoyed the upbeat, contemporary vibe of the story with all the technologies in place--especially how Annabelle keeps in touch with her best friend in England; and the fact that Annabelle is culturally diverse. A fun read and now I want to read the other Daphne books.
April 4, 2018
I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Looking at this book as a whole, I enthusiastically support the main ideas of this book: Annabelle Daphne Louis moves across the world and finds a way to make friends at her new middle school. Annabelle gets support from a therapist and her parents, and ultimately, they all decide that Annabelle should use her skills and passion for making videos to create a vlog to chronicle her experiences and help her build confidence. Being shy, Annabelle creates her alter ego Daphne, who seems to be everything she is not.
The execution of some of these ideas is where this novel falls a bit short. Some of the formatting, slang, and characterization feels a bit forced and unnatural at points, but it’s not enough to derail the storyline.
Middle school-aged students who get into fun stories about friendship would definitely like to get to know Daphne and Annabelle.
Looking at this book as a whole, I enthusiastically support the main ideas of this book: Annabelle Daphne Louis moves across the world and finds a way to make friends at her new middle school. Annabelle gets support from a therapist and her parents, and ultimately, they all decide that Annabelle should use her skills and passion for making videos to create a vlog to chronicle her experiences and help her build confidence. Being shy, Annabelle creates her alter ego Daphne, who seems to be everything she is not.
The execution of some of these ideas is where this novel falls a bit short. Some of the formatting, slang, and characterization feels a bit forced and unnatural at points, but it’s not enough to derail the storyline.
Middle school-aged students who get into fun stories about friendship would definitely like to get to know Daphne and Annabelle.
June 11, 2018
What happens when you are a Grade 7 student whose parent is in the military and moves around frequently, who has been homeschooled forever, who suddenly finds herself having to attend school back in the United States in the middle of the school year when all the other students already know each other?
Well, after you try to skip and threaten and get signed up for counselling, you invent a YouTube persona to vblog about your experiences of course!
But then, this is a secret that comes in between you and the actual friends you are starting to make! What drama!
Definitely Daphne is a well written story with great characters that includes different cliques that would be found at any middle school. The characters are compassionate, although not always and kind, albeit with that school aged edge at times. All in all, it is a journey to find out what is real and what is fake—a journey that is almost required at that age. A nice read!
Well, after you try to skip and threaten and get signed up for counselling, you invent a YouTube persona to vblog about your experiences of course!
But then, this is a secret that comes in between you and the actual friends you are starting to make! What drama!
Definitely Daphne is a well written story with great characters that includes different cliques that would be found at any middle school. The characters are compassionate, although not always and kind, albeit with that school aged edge at times. All in all, it is a journey to find out what is real and what is fake—a journey that is almost required at that age. A nice read!
April 16, 2018
It was a great book of a middle grade girl who moves to a new country, joins the wonderful public school system, and now needs to figure out who she is among the hundreds of other students, and at the same time, cope with an upcoming change at home, all while trying to find at friend or two, but without coming across as a total dork.
Daphne has a great sense of humor that colors her perspective on everyday life. Pretty much everyone can identify with her social issues. She's also a girl of color, and you get to see how insensitive people can be, and what it's like to live with constant bad hair days.
I highly recommend this book for anyone still in school, or who wants to look back with fond memories of their favorite school social disasters.
Daphne has a great sense of humor that colors her perspective on everyday life. Pretty much everyone can identify with her social issues. She's also a girl of color, and you get to see how insensitive people can be, and what it's like to live with constant bad hair days.
I highly recommend this book for anyone still in school, or who wants to look back with fond memories of their favorite school social disasters.
February 2, 2019
An on-point middle grade book that I genuinely liked and recommend for a few reasons:
- great balance of all the moments of middle school: funny, cringe-worthy, awkward, kind, hopeful, horrified
- a loving family that knows when their daughter could use some extra support, so she sees a therapist (which is SO not talked about enough in middle grade novels as a healthy, normal thing)
- works in how technology/digital devices/social media is a part of our middle schoolers' lives, and reveals both the good and the bad and the struggles with that
- she makes mistakes and good choices, but neither 100% define her
- the language, humor, and lessons are all wrapped up in a great-for-middle-schoolers package
- great balance of all the moments of middle school: funny, cringe-worthy, awkward, kind, hopeful, horrified
- a loving family that knows when their daughter could use some extra support, so she sees a therapist (which is SO not talked about enough in middle grade novels as a healthy, normal thing)
- works in how technology/digital devices/social media is a part of our middle schoolers' lives, and reveals both the good and the bad and the struggles with that
- she makes mistakes and good choices, but neither 100% define her
- the language, humor, and lessons are all wrapped up in a great-for-middle-schoolers package
October 15, 2018
@capstonePub #partner - I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
….
Released 10/01/18
….
Annabelle Louis and her military family just moved again which is nothing new. But now Annabelle has to go to a real middle school versus being home-schooled. She doesn't take it well. In order to help her adjust to the change, her parents sets her up with a therapist which in turn prompts the start of a social experiment that will soon get out of control.
Annabelle’s journey of self acceptance and awareness is a beautiful and emotional one. Making friends is one of the hardest thing to do when you're shy or a social introvert. And we all want to fit in, find people we connect with, so I feel like this was written for tween me.
I love the complex and complicated relationships, the awkward and funny moments, and the embarrassing ones too.
The writing style is a combination of prose and screenplay and it adds so much to Annabelle's voice while enhancing the drama in the book to a cinematic level.
I fell in love with Tami Charles as an author when I read Like Vanessa and I'm so glad she wrote another book that reached inside my soul and hugged my younger self tight once again.
….
Released 10/01/18
….
Annabelle Louis and her military family just moved again which is nothing new. But now Annabelle has to go to a real middle school versus being home-schooled. She doesn't take it well. In order to help her adjust to the change, her parents sets her up with a therapist which in turn prompts the start of a social experiment that will soon get out of control.
Annabelle’s journey of self acceptance and awareness is a beautiful and emotional one. Making friends is one of the hardest thing to do when you're shy or a social introvert. And we all want to fit in, find people we connect with, so I feel like this was written for tween me.
I love the complex and complicated relationships, the awkward and funny moments, and the embarrassing ones too.
The writing style is a combination of prose and screenplay and it adds so much to Annabelle's voice while enhancing the drama in the book to a cinematic level.
I fell in love with Tami Charles as an author when I read Like Vanessa and I'm so glad she wrote another book that reached inside my soul and hugged my younger self tight once again.
May 26, 2018
Cute MG story. Definitely requires some suspension of disbelief...like how did almost no one figure out she was "Daphne" and how did she think she would get away with it since everything about Daphne mirrored what was going on at her school? But anyway, a fun read.
April 8, 2023
Cute story - middle grader trying to cope with a military parent who is being deployed.
August 28, 2018
[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
This was a delight from start to finish! A contemporary friendship story with great threads about military families and tying into the popularity of YouTube and vlogging. The characters are terrific and the situations are relate-able to every kid. I highly recommend this one for any middle grade reader!
This was a delight from start to finish! A contemporary friendship story with great threads about military families and tying into the popularity of YouTube and vlogging. The characters are terrific and the situations are relate-able to every kid. I highly recommend this one for any middle grade reader!
April 30, 2020
-Afrolatinx MC
-Puerto Rican rep
Super adorable and fun. A diverse, heartwarming story.
Tami Charles knows so well her audience; she doesn't mock her readers, doesn't make references that kids won't get, doesn't give her characters unrealistic passions. What I mean, Tami knows what it's happening with tweens, the slang, the clothes, the things they say, the things they like. Definitely Daphne is definitely updated and it's something that I haven't seen too often in middle grade (or for that matter, YA) books. And it makes Daphne more real; she likes and is good with technology, she makes movies and videos, she creates a youtube channel and becomes a youtube superstar. Her voice is so honest, so sympathetic.
The book is about friendship, family and figuring out who you are, who you want to be. It is also about moving to another country (Daphne has been living all over Europe), being the new kid and learning the new culture. The feeling of oddness, of loneliness, of missing the things and the person you leave behind, was very painful to read and so real. The story also deals with Daphne conflicting feelings about her mom leaving for service (she's in the army).
And the book does something I have never seen before in middle-grade books, something super important; Daphne goes to see a therapist. And it ends up being very helpful and good for her. I just love to see therapy as something positive and necessary.
I adore this book and highly recommend it!
-Puerto Rican rep
Super adorable and fun. A diverse, heartwarming story.
Tami Charles knows so well her audience; she doesn't mock her readers, doesn't make references that kids won't get, doesn't give her characters unrealistic passions. What I mean, Tami knows what it's happening with tweens, the slang, the clothes, the things they say, the things they like. Definitely Daphne is definitely updated and it's something that I haven't seen too often in middle grade (or for that matter, YA) books. And it makes Daphne more real; she likes and is good with technology, she makes movies and videos, she creates a youtube channel and becomes a youtube superstar. Her voice is so honest, so sympathetic.
The book is about friendship, family and figuring out who you are, who you want to be. It is also about moving to another country (Daphne has been living all over Europe), being the new kid and learning the new culture. The feeling of oddness, of loneliness, of missing the things and the person you leave behind, was very painful to read and so real. The story also deals with Daphne conflicting feelings about her mom leaving for service (she's in the army).
And the book does something I have never seen before in middle-grade books, something super important; Daphne goes to see a therapist. And it ends up being very helpful and good for her. I just love to see therapy as something positive and necessary.
I adore this book and highly recommend it!
April 2, 2018
A sweet, funny story about being true to yourself no matter what. It's simply written, perfect for preteens, and a good message. I did feel like the 'mean girl' came around a little too easily, but this is a story for younger kids, so it was suitable enough. I loved the group of friends Annabelle gathered around herself as the story went on.
I hope there's more books in this series, it could easily run for a long time.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
I hope there's more books in this series, it could easily run for a long time.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
April 3, 2018
My daughter (9) really liked the book, she would definitely recommend it to her friends and would read more by Tami Charles.
She found the plot particularly entertaining and she liked how Annabel's friends tried to piece together the clues she left behind.
She also commented on the internal struggle between Daphne and Annabel, she found it fun and she could easily relate to it, which made the character likeable.
Overall a lovely, contemporary book, one that certainly hit the spot for the middle grade market.
She found the plot particularly entertaining and she liked how Annabel's friends tried to piece together the clues she left behind.
She also commented on the internal struggle between Daphne and Annabel, she found it fun and she could easily relate to it, which made the character likeable.
Overall a lovely, contemporary book, one that certainly hit the spot for the middle grade market.
October 16, 2018
Definitely Daphne is a great book for middle grade kids. We all know we need more books with strong female characters, diversity, STEAM themes, and relateable content --Definitely Daphne totally delivers! Annabelle Louis is a shy, nerdy, formerly homeschooled army brat nervous to begin school in America. When she completely fails at her first day of school, she wants to give up. Her mom convinces her to try again, and her therapist convinces her to make a anonymous video diary as "Daphne Doesn't". An accidental hit, "Daphne" goes viral, while Annabelle struggles to find her way at school without blowing her cover. Kids will love in Annabelle, and hopefully look at their classmates and wonder what awesomeness they could be hiding.
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