Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ARC!

This is a super informative book about a frequently overlooked age group. The statistics about the new age of puberty onset were shocking, and I appreciate how the book gave so many examples of how to address it both before it happens as well as while you're in the thick of it (as parents/caregivers).

There was a lot of information provided about the issues young people face and how to set yourself up for success - from drugs to eating disorders to social media.

I think this is a great resource and one that parents should be reading when their kids start kindergarten. They won't regret it!

Rarely do I stop listening to an audiobook and race to buy a physical copy, but this 100% was the case with The Crucial Years. As a mother of two children in this age bracket, this book has empowered me with the language I needed to have some difficult and at times awkward conversations with my kids. As a millennial, I wasn't really raised to speak candidly about many of the things this age group is experiencing, while I also realize that their world is fundamentally different than mine. What worked for me may not work for them, and more importantly, I don't want to pass down the generational trauma associated with many of the topics addressed in this book. I highly recommend The Crucial Years to anyone who works with children and/or has children in their life.

I received this audiobook as an ARC.

I related to Sheryl, the author, immediately because our kids are about the same age. They are about into Kindergarten, 5th grade, and 10th grade. This book covers an age I feel isn't focused on enough in most parenting books. I've read a lot of them and the 6-12 range isn't always covered well. Like Sheryl says, these kids have outgrown baby toys and expectations we have for younger children, but aren't quite to the age where they are 100% able to do things by themselves. Sometimes these kids have already started or hit puberty and that makes us feel like they're older, but in reality, they're still really young.

The author discussed how we speak to our kids and why sometimes they are defiant immediately. These children are the age where they are needing that confidence boost in themselves and their choices that sets them up for their teen years. There are times that the language we use towards them truly teach them anything.

I would absolutely recommend this book to people with kids in that age 6-12 range (specifically the 8-12 range because that's when our kids started the changes I read about in the book.)

The Crucial Years was a helpful and interesting book, from the perspective of someone who is very involved in the lives of my nephews.

The author is correct about these years being a bit forgotten, and also being harder than most people think they will be.

Once thing I disliked about the book was the gendered pronouns being used in stereotypical ways, despite the author mentioning the spectrum that is being accepted by younger generations. It felt frustrating for sports to only ever be mentioned with “he” and clothing only ever being mentioned with “she”.

The PDFs were not included in the ARC copies, so unfortunately I do not have those to review as part of the title.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is an excellent parenting book that focuses on the often overlooked years between the ages of 6 and 12. If you notice your child starting to process new emotions and navigate the beginnings of puberty, this book is a must-read. Dr. Ziegler offers practical advice without criticizing your current parenting approach. She includes sample conversations and various techniques you can try with your child, along with clinical examples that demonstrate there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

I found the section on identifying and regulating emotions particularly helpful. While I was able to discuss puberty and bodily changes with my child, I struggled to manage my own emotions when dealing with her new hormonal and more complex feelings. This book provided different methods to help me regulate my own emotions, as well as ways to teach these skills to my child.

Thank you to Harper Audio via NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the advance listening copy of this audiobook.

The Crucial Years by Dr. Sheryl Gonzalez Ziegler is an absolute gem for anyone raising or working with kids in middle childhood (ages 6 to 12). I just finished the audiobook, and my appreciation for it only deepened as it went on. Dr. Ziegler does a phenomenal job highlighting this often-overlooked developmental stage with warmth, insight, and humor. She blends recent studies, real-world examples, and even a few pop culture references (yes, Barbie makes an appearance) to make the material relatable and practical.

There is so much attention given to infants and teens that these “in between” years can feel like a mystery, but this book really fills that gap. I found myself learning a lot and feeling more prepared for what’s ahead. I’ll definitely be revisiting this again as my kids grow. Highly recommend.

Having 6 children from 5-19, I've read a lot of parenting books over the years. This author got it right that the age group of 6-12 is often overlooked in them. You get tons of focus on the early developmental years of birth-preschool and then the tween-teen years. This book can bridge the gap. Ziegler, a child psychologist, does an amazing job of breaking down the challenges that come with raising kids during these “crucial” years. She makes it so easy to understand AND provides actual tactical actions and words to do and use.

She gives you the why behind our responses, talks through everything from how to help your child deal with school stress and friendship drama to how to build self-esteem and resilience.

One of the best chapters for me was the one on communication. Ziegler really dives into how to keep the lines open with your kid, even when they’re in their "I don’t want to talk" phase. She gives super practical advice on how to validate their feelings while also keeping your boundaries in place. It feels so good to have those tools in your back pocket when you're trying to get through to a kid who’s shutting down.

As a heads-up: Ziegler does touch on some topics that might go against some people’s ideals, especially when it comes to gender issues. If you’re looking for a book that aligns strictly with a certain perspective, you might not love everything she covers in this area. But honestly, even if you don’t agree with all of it, the parenting advice and strategies are still really solid and valuable.

Overall, The Crucial Years is a great book to add to your parenting tool belt.

This book turned out to be exactly what I needed as a parent of a 9-year-old. My friends with children the same age have often discussed these important topics, wondering how best to approach them in conversations with our kids. We always joke, "I wish there was a script"—well, now there is!

While I knew this book would be valuable, it wasn’t initially at the top of my reading list, but I’m glad I made time for it. The audiobook was so helpful that I decided to purchase a physical copy as a reference for future discussions. The author provides insightful statistics, practical strategies tailored to different family approaches, and even a simple sentence to help initiate conversations. Rather than an all-or-nothing approach, the book offers flexibility to accommodate individual family needs.

It also highlights red flags—such as concerns around eating disorders or gaming addictions—helping parents determine whether a topic is age-appropriate or requires further support. If you're unsure how to handle an upcoming situation, this book provides guidance to navigate it with confidence.

Middle childhood is such a crucial period, and I genuinely appreciate how the book focuses on the unique challenges and conversations that arise during this stage. As the author states, the book is designed to help parents raise happy, healthy, and confident children ages 6-12, encouraging thoughtful discussions and fostering strong child-parent relationships built on open communication and psychological safety. She truly nailed it! Even as a parent, I now feel more confident approaching these topics with my daughter and have already recommend this to my friends.

Some great content. I really enjoyed the parts about social media, found them to be so relevant to today and liked that some resources were mentioned to help guide parents. Found some parts a little repetitive and thought they could have been condensed or some more variety offered. Like the same answer could be given for almost every scenario. Although maybe that's the point. Like that there were examples of both boys and girls. Overall great guide.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the arc.