Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media Reviews

• 
  Kate

  Overall, I enjoyed this book. I did find it to be a bit redundant and didn't necessarily agree with all of the author's assumptions, but her intentions are good and some or her advice was helpful. I do feel like she doesn't accurately describe how affected men are by stress as well since it is less socially acceptable for them to express it than females. I tried to overlook that for the sake of the book being about females, but it did still bother me when brought up throughout. I really liked her recommendations on connection and forming strong bonds with daughters while postponing or avoiding their social media use.
• 
  Sarah Judd

  If you parent a girl, teach a girl, coach a girl, care for a girl - if you KNOW a girl - you need to read this book. Donna Jackson Nakazawa blends the stories of girls who are just like girls you know with powerful science writing that helps us understand why our girls are suffering especially now and how we can ACTUALLY help them.
  
  I am a fan of Jackson Nakazawa's previous work, especially
  The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine,
  Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, and
  The Last Best Cure: My Quest to Awaken the Healing Parts of My Brain and Get Back My Body, My Joy, and My Life. Girls on the Brink builds on all this previous work, giving us a clear understanding of the most recent science that explains why teenage girls are particularly susceptible to the onslaught of twenty-first-century threats in our hyper-connected world.
  
  I've read all Jackson Nakazawa's books through my mother-teacher lens, looking to build my own understanding, as well as looking for a toolbox I can use. This book does not disappoint. Reading about the experiences of girls who are much like the girls I have taught over the years makes this book relatable and user-friendly. There is an entire section of the book dedicated to 15 "Antidotes," or strategies, we adults can employ to support and help the girls we work with and love. For instance, for me as a teacher, reading that having just one trusted adult a girl feels she can rely on expanded my understanding of the crucial positive role a teacher can play in the life of a girl.
  
  I will be buying copies of this book to share with my colleagues and friends - I think that says a lot about the value of what Jackson Nakazawa has written for us all. Go buy a copy for yourself, and buy copies for anyone you know who works with girls, parents a girl, or loves a girl.
  
  I received an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
  
• 
  Meredith G.

  As the mother of a teenage son and a preteen son, I devoured an advance copy of Girls on the Brink. This book provides adults with a mirror and tools to understand our own childhood/teen trauma and adversity and the challenges that followed. Further, and more specifically, this book is a must-read for parents - particularly for parents of girls. It's vital reading for anyone who knows girls. Donna Jackson Nakazawa tackles the pressing question: "What is going on with our girls?" She highlights research, studies, and interviews. She probes the question scientifically and personally - interviewing girls, young women, and a wide range of specialists, including scientists, professors, doctors, and more. After painting a vivid and complete picture of the issues facing girls, Donna Jackson Nakazawa devotes the largest portion of her book to fifteen antidotes: fifteen ways we can help and support girls, so they may thrive in these challenging times. I can't recommend this book highly enough. I have already purchased 4 copies to share with friends, and I'll be purchasing more soon. Thank you to Donna Jackson Nakazawa for writing this compelling, urgent, and life-blessing book.
• 
  Jen

  As a mother of two preteens, I needed this book and found it to be a great resource. Donna Jackson Nakazawa artfully blends cutting edge science with real experiences to create an eye opening and impactful book with antidotes/strategies that we can use in our day to day life. I will be recommending this book to anyone that cares for or has a girl in their life.
• 
  Barbara (The Bibliophage)

  Originally published on my book blog,
  TheBibliophage.com.
  
  Donna Jackson Nakazawa does it again with her upcoming book, Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media. She blends real-life situations with scientific knowledge and analysis. And concluding the book with strong antidotes goes a long way to helping parents and mentors counter the toxicity of girls’ everyday lives.
  
  Jackson Nakazawa breaks the content into three distinct sections: explaining the situation, exploring the science, and offering fifteen achievable antidotes. Through it all, she uses the lives of three young women to illustrate her points and balance science with reality.
  
  This is a must-read for every parent, teacher, and health care professional. Jackson Nakazawa has already published several books about science, medicine, and brain health using women’s experiences and perspectives. Now she turns her eyes to the next generation. Considering the prominence of cyberbullying, among other concerns, the choice makes perfect sense.
  
  Adverse versus Positive Childhood Experiences
  Jackson Nakazawa previously wrote about the science behind adverse childhood experiences (ACES) in Childhood Disrupted. Significant ACES affect our lifelong health. But, here she revisits that information as it happens rather than decades down the line. By describing the lives of those three young women, the author illustrates the short-term impact of absentee parents, poverty, childhood sexual abuse, as well as other situations.
  
  Conversely, Jackson Nakazawa also discusses the impact of positive mentors and community, such as teachers and nurturing social situations. Hopefully, seeing girls’ lives from this perspective will inspire more adults to truly listen to and support the young women in their lives.
  
  Puberty and Hormones
  Girls’ early teen years are made more complicated by the hormonal changes they experience. And girls experience puberty even earlier now. This means that the time between childhood and the teen years accelerates. Coping with the change is a struggle for girls and their families. Jackson Nakazawa shines the light of information and antidotes into this space.
  
  It’s also worth noting that social media and popular culture over-sexualize girls and teens. The back-to-school styles are more provocative than ever. Girls judge themselves against adult influencers on TikTok and every other platform. Jackson Nakazawa explains why this is concerning and offers better ways to approach it with our girls.
  
  My Conclusions
  This book is full to the brim with information and ideas. Attempting to summarize every point would only do it a disservice. But as I worked my way through it, Jackson Nakazawa offered invaluable insights. Most importantly, she reminds us to listen to girls and provide them a safe space to talk out their challenges.
  
  Jackson Nakazawa’s other books tell her own story, which also illustrates an important point. She repeatedly encourages parents, especially mothers, to deal with their ACES and trauma. Not only does it model positive behavior for girls, but it also helps keep the temperature down when girls’ teenage issues heat up.
  
  It’s also worth saying that the author’s perspective is a feminist one. She reminds us that girls’ rights are human rights. And we as adults made this world, which challenges kids today, especially girls. That attitude resonates with my own and enhances Girls on the Brink.
  
  Jackson Nakazawa is a mom as well as an author, so she’s got skin in the game. That adds to her nuanced understanding of 21st-century girls and teen life. This book is essential reading for moms, dads, grandparents, favorite aunts, and anyone who influences a girl’s life. Pick up a few extra to give as holiday gifts—I know I am.
  
  
  Pair with
  The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine, Jackson Nakazawa’s 2019 book. Or try some fiction with female teenage protagonists, like Angie Thomas’s
  The Hate U Give.
  
  Acknowledgments
  Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is September 13, 2022.
• 
  Kevin

  Another tough book to rate. There is a lot of good information here but it also often feels overwhelming. Statistics, epigenetics, psychological theories, etc. the first half of the book also has a unrelenting sense of catastrophe. Sexism, racism , climate change, mass shooting; it’s as if young people are living in a dystopian world. No mention of the fact that, in important ways, America is safer than practically any country in history. And no real discussion of how the media catastrophizes so much of our lives. How is a culture dominated by progressives so toxic?
  
  The chief argument of the book however is important. Basically, girls are particularly susceptible to long term stressors when young with serious consequences as they age. Our social media saturated culture amplifies these stressors in dangerous ways. As a result rates for anxiety and depression are exploding. This is biological not simply psychological.
  
  For me, the strongest part of the book was the second half where the author offers antidotes to help girls flourish. I think these sections are very helpful in thinking about protecting girls from a hostile world.
  
  Maybe those with a background in science would find the first half more compelling and those without a suspicion of progressivism could get past the constant mantra of sexism, racism, climate crisis, etc. take that for what it is worth.
• 
  Misty DeRosier

  This is a must read, not just for parents of girls, but for anyone who knows and loves a girl. Girls and young women are fairing worse than boys and worse than recent generations. The research and stories presented in this book help us understand why and what we can do to help.
• 
  Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition

  "Girls on the Brink" has been extensively researched and is practically required reading for parents trying to maintain a healthy self image for their teenage daughters.
  I plan to send a hardback copy to my sister to use as a reference for guiding her teenage daughter through high school to adulthood.
  I thought it was interesting that the first advice to parents was to look back at your own childhood and remember how you reacted to a trauma you may have had, and to realize you should try not to react that way now to a trauma your child may have.
  The book states that girls suffer more from poor self image, anxiety and depression than boys. As a mother of a son, I do not think this is entirely true. However, this book provides many ways to empathize and empower your teen, which can be applied to both sexes.
• 
  Robin Cogan

  If you are in search of an excellent book club choice or looking for a fascinating read, here is a suggestion for your next book! Science journalist and brilliant author Donna Jackson Nakazawa has delivered another beautifully written book, this time focused on our girls. Donna has a gift for scientific storytelling, steeped in research and evidence, but written with a flow that takes the reader on a journey of discovery.
  
  Girls on the Brink faces the enormous challenges of raising daughters but also provides a roadmap, steeped in evidence, to enable our girls to flourish, in spite of extreme societal conditions. Donna has a gift for digging deeply into the science of being human and unearths stories that reframe the complexities of life, like raising girls, into focus through a new lens. 
  
  For my school nurse colleagues, Girls on the Brink is highly recommended to understand how we can help our students thrive in turbulent times. I can envision sharing this book with girls' parents and hosting a book club! What an important topic to share with parents, especially of our prepubescent girls. 
• 
  Alisia

  I really liked the blend of real-life stories and scientific knowledge and background. As a mother of a teenage daughter who has been struggling with anxiety and panic attacks since 2020, this book was exactly what I needed. It both helped me better process some of my childhood trauma as well as provides ways I can help my own daughter thrive. I also love when a book includes action-oriented steps you can take to work through these challenging times.
  
  I received an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Kelly Dries

  As a mom of a 2 year old girl, and as a woman who struggled with an eating disorder for a large part of her young adult life, I worry constantly about the impact of media and social media on my child. I grew up without the devastating impacts of social media, but the messages I received in the media in general were enough to impress upon me the importance of what I looked like, and I grew up feeling not good enough. It took me years of therapy as an adult to begin to overcome some truly negative thoughts I have held about my worth and value as a person. I worry that my daughter will be predisposed because of me, and with the looming presence of social media that she will encounter in the future, I want to ensure she is armed with tools to navigate what she will face in a way that I wasn’t. This book by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, “Girls on the Brink” is just what I needed to navigate raising a confident and empowered daughter in todays society!
  
  Not only does the Nakazawa go through the statistics of how harmful social media is on our young girls in perpetuating unrealistic standards, expectations, and ideas about what a woman is or should be, she also shares strategies for how parents can be a bigger influence than that of the media, to provide buffers against what messages they will encounter in the world.
  
  The mark of a good book for me is one I keep writing passages down from because I want to revisit and really soak in the wisdom, and this book had that for me. I will be coming back to her words again and again to make sure that my young girl has some armor for what she will face as she gets older.
  
  Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Review Copy that was provided for my review. I will be a better mom to my daughter because of this book, and I thank you Donna Nakazawa for sharing this with us. The book is available today. For anyone raising young girls, I highly recommend you check this out!
  
• 
  Sara

  I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. This review is completely my own thoughts and opinions.
  It was very interesting to read about why adolescent girls have a harder time with anxiety and depression because of our biology, but that doesn't mean that girls are the weaker sex.
  "Stressors unique to modern life including: amplification of toxic gendered messaging via social media, loss of freedom, emotional safety and play in late childhood, increased pressure to succeed and perform, the general chaotic state of the world." This all plays into our biology that tells us not to be kicked out of the tribe, to conform. The dichotomy that we say men and women are equal while there is still blatant mysogny in the workplace, the classroom, and every where else. The author provides 15 antidotes to try to combat the stressors that our daughters face in the world. I found it to be an interesting read with hope amidst the pain.
• 
  Ann T

  Thank you Rodale and NetGalley for this ARC.
  
  As the mother of girls this book was invaluable, I learned so much and things I previously read were substantiated. The subject matter doesn’t shy from the tough subjects however it is very accessible, easy to read . I feel a little more confident navigating through the tough times and am thankful for the clarity and insightfulness reading this book has provided.
  
  I highly recommend this book and am grateful for the opportunity to review this ARC.
• 
  Kayla Tornello

  This book really focuses on how girls today are stressed and anxious. I can see some of this with my own daughter. I really liked the practical tips on how to help protect girls from these problems and how to bounce back from stressful situations. I also liked how the author included the stories of 3 young women to illustrate her points.
  
  I won a copy of this book on Goodreads. Yay!
• 
  Jane Nault Perron

  Must read if you have girls, work with girls or even know girls. Informative, enlightening read. I was able to read it early through Netgalley but it will be released in a couple of weeks.
  Don't miss this book
• 
  Trina

  As a parent of a daughter with anxiety this was important to listen to (audiobook). I found myself bristling at some parts (it said school was about achievement and to my eyes the bar has continuously lowered), but there are quite a few potential strategies to look into further too.
• 
  Tiah E

  If anything at least read the stats at the end of the book in the appendix, which are alarming. I'm glad I picked this book up and read it. I did struggle to get through the antidotes in the last half of the book. But the book was definitely worth the read.
• 
  Brianna Tramm

  Must read for anyone with children, especially girls.