Book Awards & Honors

About the Book

Michael Gurian, whose national bestseller The Wonder of Boys presented a radical and enlightening view of parenting sons, now offers a groundbreaking approach to raising daughters. As you read this book, be prepared to shake up some of your preconceptions about what makes women tick. He emphatically agrees with Deborah Sichel's (Women's Moods) idea of "A woman's biology is the cornerstone of her mental health." In The Wonder of Girls, Gurian, himself the father of two girls, provides crucial information for fully understanding the basic nature of girls: up-to-date scientific research on female biology, hormones, and brain development and how they shape girls' interests, behavior, and relationships.

He offers us insight into what is "normal" for girls each year from birth to age 20; what developmental needs girls face in each stage; how to communicate effectively with girls; and how to cope with developmental crises such as early sexuality, eating disorders, parental divorce, and more. With personal insights, practical tips, real-life anecdotes, and accessible science, The Wonder of Girls creates a new parenting paradigm. Key elements include: a nature-based approach to why girls are the way they are and the connection between the need for profound attachment and the physical brain development of girls.

With this scientifically based developmental map of girlhood, Gurian equips parents with a comprehensive guide for raising daughters. His ideas are challenging and some feminists might not agree, but biology and its affects on girls' behavior are indisputable. Lots of great information in this book.