Note-taking required as you read this book! It's a book I wish I had for my older two kids - but I'm taking full advantage for my youngest and will buy this for my brother and sister in law!

It took a long time for me to get back to this book. While I ordinarily enjoy science books, this one didn't hold my attention and honestly I didn't really learn anything new. The author uses a lot of personal experience in the book, which I could have done without. She starts the book talking about how animal rights activists targeted her family because of her father's work when she was an adolescent, and it had me wondering what he did rather than empathizing with her family or her developing brain. There are lots of examples like this where her life experiences are supposed to add to the topic but I would rather hear about a variety of teens than her personal experience.

I did enjoy the charts, but I didn't ultimately learn a whole lot new about my own teenagers and it's not my favorite book on the subject.

I wish I’d read this book before I raised my children to adulthood! Living with (and trying to guide ) teenagers is frustrating and, at times, excruciating. It’s just so perplexing and difficult all around. (Although I should add they did become rational and quite delightful adults). This book should be required reading for parents - it is well-written, well-researched and very helpful. A definite recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

An award winning researcher, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London and author of the newly released INVENTING OURSELVES. That text is subtitled "The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain" and Blakemore investigates developmental issues often associated with teens like sleep patterns, risk-taking propensity, and intense emotions. I was a little confused on the intended audience for this book. It's not written for the teens who are immersed in "inventing ourselves" and if the intent is to help parents, teachers and/or society, I do not think it succeeds. For example, I was particularly interested in a section she titles "Educating the Brain," but honestly I found little new there (e.g., we know schools should start later) and Blakemore's emphasis seemed to be on the poor design and implementation of several studies involving exercise and memory training. If you are interested in this topic, I suggest turning to The Teenage Brain by Jensen or Age of Opportunity by Steinberg (Blakemore also refers to this second title). Both were originally published in 2015 and have been requested purchases by our faculty.

Really insightful! I think that most parents of teenagers, even those who read a lot of parenting books, would come away with a brand new understanding of what is going in their teenager's head. Definitely recommend.

This is a well-written book with helpful information. It is nice that a neuroscientist uses talent and knowledge to help others through their teens' or student's brain as a way to better understand what they feel during adolescence. Having this information helps anyone that loves, lives with or works with youth. This knowledge help the reader understand the youth in a way that assists them with being more understanding.

This book is an excellent reference to better understand the teenage brain. It is filled with great information & research to back up the claims. It is definitely worth reading, especially if you are interested in the brain & better understanding your teenager!

Informative book! Neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore delves into the physiological reasons for the common habits and risk-taking behaviors of our teenage children. Clearly, adolescents are in a transformative period. The brain of the adolescent is, in fact, not yet the same as the brain of an adult, which helps to explain some of their social behaviors and inability to properly evaluate risk and repercussions. This book offers an insightful view on how and why we can expect certain behaviors from middle-schoolers and high-schoolers. This is a great read for parents, teachers and those who work with children. I received an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley, which did not affect my rating. I have provided an unbiased and honest review.