The Double Life of Danny Day

by Mike Thayer

A boy who lives every day twice uses his ability to bring down bullies at his new school.

My name is Danny Day, and I live every day twice.

The first time, it's a "discard day." It's kind of like a practice run. At the end of the day, I go to bed, wake up, and poof everything gets reset, everything except my memory, that is.

The second time, everything is normal, just like it is for everyone else. That's when everything counts and my actions stick. As you could probably guess, "Sticky Day" Danny is very different from "Discard Day" Danny.

When Danny's family moves across the country, he suddenly has to use his ability for more than just slacking off and playing video games. Now he's making new friends, fending off jerks, exposing a ring of cheaters in the lunchtime video game tournament, and taking down bullies one day at a time ... or is it two days at a time?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Time Travel, Humor, Science Fiction, School, Audiobook

310 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2021

About the author

Mike Thayer is a proud father of three, lucky husband of one, passionate author, budding podcaster, lifelong gamer, viral blogger, degreed engineer, decent impressionist, inept hunter, erstwhile jock, and nerd.

He has cast a ring on the slopes of Mt. Doom, eaten a feast at the Green Dragon Inn, cemented Excalibur in a sandstone block, tasted butter beer at Diagon Alley, built a secret door to his storage room, and written a few fantasy books. What else is left, really?

Reviews

[Mike Thayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is INCREDIBLE!!

(please note the presence of potential bias since I was, in fact, the person who wrote the book).

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I am so impressed by this book! I absolutely loved not only the story, but the authors writing/writing style. He also does an amazing job w/his characters-they’re all amazing! Even the ones I didn’t like-like the bullies-were done so incredibly well. This comes out this Tuesday, the 15th, & y’all really need to read it!

Danny lives every day twice. The 1st time is a discard day-it’s like a practice run & he can do whatever he wants-& at midnight no matter what he’s doing-poof! The day starts over. Then it’s the “sticky” day-the day that matters, that sticks. Sticky day is the 1 everyone else will remember, none of them remember discard days. Discard Danny is very different from Sticky Danny as you would expect as well lol. When Danny’s family moves across the country, he suddenly has to use his ability for more than just slacking off & playing video games. Now he's making new friends, fending off jerks, exposing a ring of cheaters in the lunchtime video game tournament, & taking down bullies 1 day at a time(or 2 days technically haha).

This shows how school is today, & as always, I am so thankful social media was not a thing when I was in school. Cell phones were just starting to be a thing. But you have the “normal” bullying, but it doesn’t end when you leave school-w/social media it’s constant. The “Studs” & “Duds” is a perfect example in here. I really despised Braxlynn-there are so many kids/adults like her, & it makes my blood boil. I’m also glad I didn’t have to go through school w/everyone around me w/their face stuck in their phones(my mom never would allow me to have 1). Kids miss so much nowadays.

Freddie is a rock star! Lol that girl is my hero! She is so amazing! The way she says certain things is spectacular! Zak is also so great-he’s that guy that actually REALLY is the good guy he appears to be, & you can’t help but love him & hope to be more like him. Such a great friend group b/n him, Danny, & Freddie. They’re all so different too, but are amazing together. Love. Noah was written perfectly! He is exactly how those overly confident people are that always win, & have to be loud & obnoxious about it-plus, he’s a bully. I despised him. I also despised Jaxson. This is a perfect example of how bullies can be not only in the popular crowd, but any crowd-like the popular ones & Noah is a gamer in this.

This also perfectly shows you can’t blame anyone but yourself for your actions-there are 2 kids w/similar situations in here, & 1 is a horrible kid BECAUSE of their environment, & the other is a great kid in SPITE of it. Also, a great discussion of what you should use the double day for. I loved the yin & yang conversation had about it-perfect. The humor is on point! Danny has some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read! That & just the writing in general made this such a fun read. I had the best time! Did any of this really happen? “No, but it COULD be true, & that’s all that matters.”😉 Highly recommend! Beautiful cover by Violet Tobacco too!💜

[⛅ Sunny (sunnysidereviews) ⛅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

Ohmigosh this was sooo good! Review to come here, and on my blog https://sunnysidereviews.wordpress.com/

[Benjamin Hewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny Day lives every day twice.

By sixth grade, he’s a pro at it. He spends the first playing video games, scoping out important details, and doing things most of us will only daydream about, knowing his day will reset at 2:22 am and he’ll have to start all over.

For Danny, this is a good thing. His second day—the sticky day—usually goes off like a speed run. He gets perfect grades, stops his toddling twin sisters from decorating their bedroom walls with sharpies, and tricks his classmates into thinking he can read minds.

But Danny’s life is far from perfect. When his family moves from Texas to Idaho, Danny has to be the new kid at school twice as much as any normal kid. If he gets hurt on a sticky day, he hurts twice as long. Even worse, Danny starting to think he’s been doing it all wrong. Then he meets Zak, the kind, athletic sixth-grader who lives each day without regrets, and who convinces Danny that he can too. Danny eventually shares his secret with his new friend and swears him to secrecy and the two boys enlist Freddie, the girl-next-door, in bringing the bullies of Snake River Middle School to justice.

In reading the story, it is clear that Danny isn’t the only one reliving junior high. Author Mike Thayer’s portrayal of middle school feels almost photographic, but it serves up the sweet taste of sixth-grade wish-fulfillment right along with the poignant memory of mistakes made. In addition to painting his adolescents well, Thayer gets the adults right, with unique perspectives and personalities for each, without bogging down the book with elaborate backstories.

I especially like Danny’s mom. Even though he’s living every day twice, she still manages to surprise him sometimes, and those moments are some of the funniest.

In short, The Double Life of Danny Day is for middle-grade readers, junior high attendees, and all the rest of us who survived junior high intact, more-or-less. It’s about finding balance, even when we think we have it all. In the end it’s not Danny’s singular power that makes him great, but what he spends that precious extra time on.

Is it a true story?

“No. But it could be true, and that’s all that matters.”


I received an e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny lives each twice.

The first day is his "discard day" where he goes through the motions but knows the same day will reset when he wakes up the next morning. He uses these days on his "sticky" days to right the wrongs, and do things differently than the day before. I don't know about you, but I'd use my discard days to eat anything I want and not gain a pound. I mean, that's all of our dreams, right?

*dreams of burgers* * continues review*

When Danny moves to a new town, he finds his life upended, unable to find new friends and gauge the people in his school. But he meets some new friends who make him think twice about how he's spending his double life. Could he be solving crimes? He's only in sixth grade so that's not feasible. But stopping bullies seems like a good place to start. The first step is telling someone other than his immediate family and doctor about his double life. But when he does, it doesn't feel so strange for him any longer, and he begins to see that his affliction is less like a curse and more like a second chance at life.

I've read a few books in this same vein; waking up to find you're living the same day or even waking up in being in someone else's body etc, but this one stuck out with its unique twist on "discard" and "sticky" days where the protagonist isn't just living the same day ever day and is actually able to make choices that affect his life going forward. Thayer brings an outlook in middle-school life that feels real; I was once the new kid and I was once the bullied one or one that witnessed bullying and did nothing, and I'd give anything to go and do things differently. Danny makes mistakes because that's what kids do. But the important thing is that he learns from them and I think that is the greatest message of all, especially to young humans. I, myself, am raising a human, and hope to instill these teachable moments into his life.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I believe it will be a great addition to classrooms and home libraries everywhere. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mike Thayer.


I was given a free review copy by the author, and it in no way affected my rating.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids will enjoy this one. As an adult reader I thought it was a great concept that wasn’t fully utilized. I’m not sure what Danny learned in the middle of the book that helped him pull off the end.

[Jennie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cool book this is! There are so many elements that I adore.

The concept of the story is a children's version of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North (one of my all-time favorites), where the main character gets to relive his life with the past memory intact.

There are many wholesome things about this book and I'll mention two here that stood out to me: First, Danny has a good relationship with all his family, friends, teachers, and therapist. He genuinely cares about his friends and family and helps them when he can. Second, Danny is a great communicator! He's open to suggestions from his therapist and opens up his secrets to his friends when they are deemed trustworthy. He discusses problems and plans with his friends, and they work out the solution together with trial and error.

One thing that is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to children's stories is the prevalence of physical violence (or the threat of it) and the way the aggressor seemed to get away with it simply because they are labeled the bully. In real life, being a bully (or jocky bully) is not cool, and not acceptable. Don't make it a stereotype and normalize it. Not every school has to have a bully.

Overall a really good story. The main character is very likable and the plot is interesting. There's a lot of good things.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling all gamers! Best read of Summer 2021! Mike Thayer, you nailed it, from gamers, mean girls, jocks, farm kids, and every kid who lives on the fringes of middle school culture. There's something for everyone here. Danny Day lives each day twice, trying to learn from his mistakes on "discard day" to make it right on "sticky day". Like any kid, he isn't always thoughtful about his choices, but that's what makes his story so relatable.

The plot moves as fast and furious as the video game Danny and his classmates play at lunchtime trying to beat the infamous SpudMasterFlex. Their gaming names are as creative as the video game they play - TexCalibur, Riga-Tortoise, CatHissEverdeen and FreddieCougar. Eventually Danny and his buddies realize there's major cheating going on, but time is running out. The BIG tournament is fast approaching.

Teachers and parents, here's your next best read-aloud. Perfect for classroom or home with teachable moments about real life using humor and creative writing. "Butterflies spun around my gut like rocks in a clothes dryer." This book is definitely destined to become a middle school library and classroom staple, as well as a family treasure. Great beginning to a new series. Can't wait for the next adventure.

[Electroclan17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun to read. The concept is really cool & I think it was executed well.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every summer I read a book my children. I try to choose something they will find entertaining, but also something they can learn from, and this one definitely fit the bill! We loved the clever premise and how well Thayer executed it. We laughed all the way through and also had some great conversations. This book would probably be a good fit for middle schoolers, especially kids who love video games and/or kids who are reluctant readers.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and it's unique premise! Danny lives every day twice. The first is a trial run that only he remembers. The second is the day that "sticks." He has developed a set of rules that he uses to keep track of what happens on the Discard Days, in order to make life run smoothly on the Sticky Days. When his family moves to a new town, he meets some friends who make him question how he is using the Discard Days, and whether or not he can be helping people and making the world better. With their help, he begins to take down some bullies and cheaters. Highly recommended for grades 4 and up. I really hope that there is a sequel.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley

[Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who wouldn't want to live every day twice? For as long as Danny can remember he has lived everyday twice, a discard day and a sticky day. This comical story of balance and trusting friends made me laugh and think deeply about choices young people make. Danny needed to balance the two different personalities he had created for each day to take down a video gamer who was cheating people out of their money. I love the friendships Danny develops with Zak and Freddie, learning to trust others with secrets is a huge step in middle school. Definitely a great story for conversation starters in middle school classrooms.
Thanks NetGalley!

[Joe Kessler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle-grade novel goes far on the strength of its high-concept premise, which is that the ten-year-old protagonist lives every day twice. He treats the original go-round as a bit of a practice session, either goofing off or scribbling notes on quiz answers and various mishaps, then acts more seriously for the official version that follows, with the benefit of his mysterious foreknowledge. Teachers and classmates have no idea that any of this is happening, although he has gained a reputation as a bit of a psychic.

It's a spin on the old time loop formula that I don't believe I've seen anywhere else, which presents a fairly engaging read. I think younger audiences will especially enjoy it, both for the Fortnite-like gamer antics that make up a surprisingly large percentage of the plot and for not caring as much about a few sticking points that my own perspective brings.

My issues here are twofold. First, there are all sorts of interesting morality questions implicit in the setup that are barely discussed at all. Is it unethical to learn what's on a test before technically taking it? How would living through a world without apparent consequences warp a person's ideas of appropriate behavior and consent? The worst thing 'Discard Danny' ever appears to do is eat a lot of junk food and play relatively harmless pranks, but he effectively has no safeguards against significant abuse of his special circumstances. While I don't need a child hero to actually do awful things, it feels a little disingenuous to not even raise the possibility of temptation in this scenario.

My second problem is a subtler matter, and has to do with the narrative structure of this text. Essentially, it all seems like act one of a story, the initial background information waiting for some big development to kick everything into the next gear that ultimately never arrives. The boy is at a new school where he makes friends and forms a plan to take down a local bully, but there's no inciting incident that really escalates the situation. A few side threads end up getting dropped without particular resolution too, giving a further lopsided shape to the overall affair.

That concern might be alleviated to a degree if this ends up as just the start of an ongoing series, and again, I don't know that a junior reader would even notice or mind. But as a standalone volume in my view, the title doesn't quite hit its full potential.

[Content warning for cyberbullying and schoolyard violence.]

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[Reese Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids and I absolutely loved this book. It has a fun and unique concept, and the author does a great job balancing the character’s mischief with living every day twice alongside his niggling guilt that he should be using it differently. Ultimately, the book is about learning to balance your different sides to become the best version of yourself in the moment. My kids cheered at the end. We would all love to see a sequel to this someday, and plan to check out Thayer’s other series.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Double Life of Danny Day deserves 6 stars! My 5th graders who are gamers will be all over this story. Actually, this will appeal to most 5th graders, but gamers are a tough crowd to entice to read sometimes. Danny lives every day twice. The first time he lives a day he calls it a discard day. He keeps track of things to improve on the sticky day, which is the second time he experiences that day. But a new friend challenges him to do more with his discard days. The banter between those two characters was funny and thought-provoking. They eventually decide to help someone win a gaming tournament and take down a cheating bully. Danny has some amazing character growth throughout the story. I absolutely loved this story. Maybe it was due to some Fortnite-style nostalgia. Maybe it was high interest, action packed writing. I can't wait to book-talk this to my students in the fall!

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

🚞🏙️🛣️The Double Life of Danny Day🛣️🏙️🚞
2.5 Stars
Danny has spent his whole life living twice every day. He spends the first day as a Discard Day, testing the boundaries and doing what he wants. The second time is Sticky Day. Everything will be remembered, so he spends time making sure the day goes perfectly. Yet starting a new school year, things are more difficult. Danny wants to beat the grade bully in a video game. And to do that he'll need help, with the help of friends. In hopes he can accomplish his goal.

*disclaimer: My book reviews are not meant in any way to stop people from reading this book or determining the value of this book. It is solely just to write about my opinion on this book. I make sure to always try to include criticism/praise!

I loved the concept of the book, and although I loved how it started out, it just wasn't for me near the end. I loved the concept of living a day twice. It started out nicely, and I was really intrigued. I thought it would focus more on how the double life affected his relationship with his family. Or perhaps how it affected his life and he never doubted it. Instead, the main goal of the stories is trying to beat someone in video games.

Danny was a good character. I just wanted a couple things for this book that weren't a part of it. Overall, this is perfect for video game fans and people who like interesting topics.
🆗PLOT TWIST
⛔🆗CHARACTERS

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up really liking this one. It's obviously written for the middle grade crowd and the specific plotlines and conflicts reflect that...but basic concept of this is fascinating. it's not the first time I've seen this concept generally...the movie About Time has a character living each day twice but by choice from a time travelling perspective vs it literally being something the character can't control. I would LOVE to read a book aimed at adults with this concept because it really is fascinating. And I appreciate that this novel doesn't dumb this down for the middle grade audience...it asks some serious questions about what different people would do with this "power" of the double day and treats the answers seriously. 4 stars for me but I would HIGHLY recommend for middle grade readers.

[Amber Zito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our family loved this book! The story is very entertaining and I found myself laughing out loud many times. The main character, Danny has so much personality, and it was interesting to see the different ways he would behave, depending on which day it was. It was a story we couldn’t put down, literally, and read the entire book in one sitting. We can’t wait to hear about more adventures in the Double Life of Danny Day!!

[Tracy Challis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and think it will be a popular one with my students. It is like Groundhog Day but more interesting. Danny gets to live every day twice. He has one day that he knows he will get to discard and a second day that will stick. At first, he just uses the discard day to be silly and daring and crazy. But overtime, he learns to be more charitable with the knowledge he obtains. It is such a fun book about friendship and values and video games.

[Jannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. It had me laughing out loud several times and got me thinking about the “what if’s” if someone lived each day twice.

[Annalee Christopherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with my kids and they LOVED it. It engaged a variety of ages. Very fun!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

With Danny living each day twice it seemed to take too long to get to the big moment. Kids who are into RPGs will enjoy the game playing descriptions. The bullies are really terrible, the parents are clueless, the teachers disappointing as they seem to be unaware of what’s going on. As I read so many books that depict middle school as hell I hope that kids find it better than it’s depicted. Danny does have a few good friends though, which makes it all more bearable.

[Amy Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, much more than I was expecting. And I thought I would enjoy it since it sounded like a fun, interesting read with a very novel concept. And it was all that. Danny was a very likeable character, doing all the things you would expect any 6th grade boy in his position to do. On his throw-away day, he eats a ton of junk food that doesn't count, he plays a ridiculous amount of video games, he says the things we all wish we could say at school. But then on his permanent day, he saves his mom a ton of hassle by preventing his twin sisters from getting ahold of permanent markers, he aces tests he already took, he never touches video games. He is a complex character. When he moves to a new school, he meets new people: bullies and overachievers and everyone in between and you learn about his troubles with connecting the two halves of his personality. He makes friends with a person who would use this power to prevent actual crimes, or learn languages instead of eating junk food and it further makes him question if he is using his full potential. It also hits on bullying, doing things even if you are scared or have to deal with consequences (like everyone NOT lucky enough to have a double day), doing the right thing... It is surprisingly profound for a book that I thought would be about finding the best opportunity to prank bullies. I enjoyed it very much and definitely will recommend it to some of my older elementary readers.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Elizabeth Reid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. A book about a middle grader who worries a lot about his peers and video games.

Spoiler: the ending, with its play-by-play of video gaming moves was waaaaaay too much for me. Yawn.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Sixth grader Danny has an unusual condition - he lives every day twice. It's happened all of his life. His philosophy is to take all the risks on his discard days and then follow all the rules and be a model citizen on his sticky ones. He maps out his path through his second (sticky) days with everything he learns from his first passes. Readers see him figure out how to balance his two sides with help from two incredible friends, Zac and Freddie. He even risks sharing about his life with Zac at the advice of his doctor. In the end, they defeat the major video game cheater and Danny taking a risk to share his life with Freddie too.
Thaler captures the middle school atmosphere in this book. Though Danny has an unusual life, he still struggles with typical middle school issues. His other characters represent typical stereotypes found in almost all schools. Readers will relate and see where they fit in the groups. He exaggerates and emphasizes the bullying and gambling happening to make his points. Readers will enjoy the humor and see the messages beneath it.

[Jilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh and cry. Kids and adults will love it!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful look at a kid who lives every day twice and has both a mischievous streak and a conscience. Highly recommend!

[Hope Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danny Day lives the same day twice: one is a discard day in which he can pretty much do anything he wants and get into as much trouble as wants because the next day - the "sticky" day will be the one he has to take seriously. And based on what he knows will happen on the sticky day because of the events of the prior discard day, he can be prepared and fix anything he wants to turn out differently. The ability to have two tries at the same day is helpful for Danny as his family relocates from Texas to Idaho and he enters 6th grade as a new student. Danny quickly determines the bullies, the gamers, the popular kids, and the kids who have potential to be good friends. There is a big gaming event that happens daily during lunch; called the Brown Bag game and players ante up two dollars to play. The only glitch is, the same kid wins day after day after day. When Danny finally figures out the kid is somehow cheating, he begins using his discard days to prove the kid a cheater and take him down a notch. He enlists the help of two new friends, and soon realizes that he should be using his discard days for doing good instead of for selfish reasons.

This was a very unique and fun book. I love the premise of having a discard day and it would make excellent conversation with kids regarding how they would use a bonus day if they had one. I think this would make a great classroom read aloud. Danny is a great character with a good heart, and his flaws make him real. I plan to add this to my elementary school library collection for sure. I think this book has potential for state reading award lists.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be so great for a book discussion! I enjoyed it. My only complaint would be trying to keep track of what day it was. I am not great about reading chapter titles so that's on me. I liked the characters and the flow of the story.

[Río · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creative and enjoyable, 4.5 stars

Premise overview
Danny lives each day twice. The first day is a discard day - no one will remember it but him. He uses it to study tests *after* he was supposed to take them, pull pranks, make notes to make the real fay easier, or stay home playing video games. "discard-Danny" can be as wild, lazy, and obnoxious as he wants without consequences. On the second time though the day, however, the day "sticks." That's the day everyone else remembers, so "sticky-Danny" makes sure to do everything right, keeping his head down and not getting into any trouble.

This strategy has worked fine so far, but now Danny is in middle school where he makes new friends that make him question his choices. Is there a better way to spend his discard days? What would happen if sticky-Danny took more risks? The possibility frightens him, but he can't seem to shake the thoughts...

At one point Danny recalls his therapist describing Danny "as only ever living live on either end of the pendulum swing. I was either brazenly jumping off the garage roof on a discard day, or cowering from bullies with my tail between my legs on a sticky day. My life may average out in the middle, but I'd never spent a single day there." (end of chapter 12)

General thoughts

I like how the author explains the premise. He addresses the "but why does it happen?" question early on with "I wish I knew, I just know it does." When dealing with absurdities such as this one, it is nice for the author to acknowledge the absurdity, followed by descriptions of what factors are known

I also like how the author includes natural little hiccups in the story, like the troubles it caused Danny when he was younger, and the repeated difficulties of his friend who, as he points out, always feels as if it's the first time he met Discard Danny. I also like how the author includes practical tips and tricks Danny employs to make life easier for himself, such as carrying his Discard-Day notebook around wherein he can track useful details like where to avoid bullies, activities to repeat, and steps to help keep his younger sisters out of trouble

Overall, it is a silly premise that is well done. It raises interesting ethical and philosophical questions as we follow the story of this young boy figuring out who he is

When I described this book to my partner their response was "so it's about a kid learning to have courage?" and, while I don't love to boil it down so far, that is an accurate description

Perhaps I relate because I am over-thinker, perhaps not. Either way, I enjoyed this book and would especially suggest it to others who struggle with taking action because of the fear of uncertain consequences.