Here Be Dragons

Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma

By: Melanie Shankle

Narrated by: Melanie Shankle

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Nobody’s Cuter than You and co-author (with her daughter, Caroline Shankle) of The Lion and the Bear comes a poignant, deeply personal story about trusting God to heal generational wounds so we can show up for our teenage girls.

“Written with the kindness and honesty of a big sister, the candor of a best friend, and the humility and grace of one whose heart points us to the One who saved her from all the dragons.”—Sissy Goff, author of The Worry-Free Parent

Medieval cartographers marked maps with “Here Be Dragons” to warn of unknown dangers ahead, and now Melanie Shankle humorously applies this to raising teenage daughters. Navigating the tumultuous teenage years can be daunting, with mean girls, dramatic breakups, and self-worth struggles often occurring in a single day. As a mom, you might long for a guide to help you through these unpredictable times.

When her daughter, Caroline, faced high school challenges, Melanie felt overwhelmed. She embarked on a journey to break the vicious cycles rooted in her past, realizing that to help Caroline face her dragons, she first needed to confront her own. In Here Be Dragons, Melanie candidly explores past struggles and generational wounds that shaped her approach to parenting. With deep insight and empathy, she demonstrates how facing your own dragons empowers you to help your daughter confront hers.

Here Be Dragons is a heartfelt—and aptly humorous—source of camaraderie and practical advice for those feeling overwhelmed by raising a teenage daughter. It serves as a road map to thriving amid chaos and trusting God to transform you into a healthier woman, mom, wife, and friend. Laugh, cry, and find solidarity in Melanie’s transformative journey as you embrace your own path toward building an unbreakable mother-daughter bond and a more empowered future together.

Best work, yet

Thank you for telling this story. It hit home in so many ways. From having a bipolar mother suffering with dementia to raising two teenage daughters, your story helps me feel a little more normal. Thank for your wisdom, bravery, and courage to write this book.

A Profound Experience in Navigating a Difficult Relationship

Melanie wrote about her relationships. As a child of a disfunctional parent, I appreciate her vulnerability in sharing her relationship with her Mom.

Pretty Good

The story was good and would have been more my style if it wasn’t so hokey, although I understand that the social group that Melanie lives with is generally that way. Along with the religiosity, which ironically is largely subject to the same societal governance unfortunately. But it’s quick and funny, and she conveys a fun personality through her style of reading.

Relatable stories to my own life

I highly recommend this book to ANY mother!! I can’t fathom the relatable stories but also her guidance in how she turned to God to help her through the most difficult times in her life!! Thank you for writing this book! I think I cried listening to the whole thing. At the end I wept as a mother of a teen daughter in hopes that both my girls grow up being able to slay their dragons in their lives! Thank you for helping me see my strong willed youngest daughter I know Is going to do such Amazing things and helping me be an encouragement to her and always be there for her and to listen to them when they tell me about their day and struggles in school! This book is an 10!! Just amazing!

Heart wrenching yet real life.

This is a must read for every mom of girls, every empty nester or nearly empty nester, and well… basically everyone who has parents. 😜