Underestimated

The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls

By: Chelsey Goodan

Narrated by: Chelsey Goodan

“If you have a teenage girl in your life, you need to read this.” —Oprah Daily

In this “must-read for anyone who has a daughter, is a daughter, or knows a daughter” (Becky Lynch, WWE champion), this empowering guide—in the vein of Reviving Ophelia and Untangled—helps us better understand teenage girls, revealing how their insights can create heartfelt connections and impactful change.

Written with warmth and humor, Underestimated is the first book to invite us into the teenage girl’s brain and heart, as told from the point of view of a beloved and trusted mentor. Chelsey Goodan was a highly sought-after academic tutor who worked with hundreds of girls from all different backgrounds, earning their trust, confidence, and friendship. They in turn shared with her their innermost concerns, doubts, and what they wish they could communicate to their parents and the world at large.

With “practical wisdom that belongs in the toolbox of every teenager” (Booklist) and featuring topics and language directly chosen by the girls, Goodan reveals how the solutions to a girl’s well-being lie within her. She offers parents the exact words they can use to help her discover these solutions and demonstrates how adults can better support a teenage girl’s voice to create positive change.

Covering a variety of topics, including sexuality, perfection, friendship, identity, the media, shame, power, and much more, Goodan invites us to self-reflect. She reveals how to heal your own inner teenage girl, in order to bring greater connection into your life.

Rather than dismissing teenage girls based on our own fears or treating them as problems that need to be solved, Goodan encourages us as parents, and as a society, to help girls unleash their power and celebrate their intrinsic wisdom, creating more healing and connection for everyone. “This book is exactly what we all need right now, for our families and for our future voices in the world” (Laura Dern).

This book will help parents walk a mile in our girls shoes to have meaningful relationships and love.

This book was an amazing listen. I definitely would listen again for reference throughout my families journey.

Awesome for Teen Girls!

I got this book for my teen daughter. She didn't think she needed this book and put off listening to it. She came back to me a few days later and told me that it was amazing! She said it was so good and she was really glad she'd listened to it. I'm thrilled that it was so well received. It's not often I find books like this that get such a ringing endorsement from my teens. So, I definitely recommend this book to anyone with teen girls in their life! A great choice!

Unleashing my inner teenage girl and supporting my teenage girl

First, the author/narrator speaks with such enthusiasm I wanted to keep listening to everything she had to say.
Second, the format made the information so digestible.
Third, I want to send this book to everyone I know that has a teenage girl, who knows a teenage girl or has ever been a teenage girl.

I wish this was around when I was a teenager

This was a fantastic read. I cried several times. This would have saved me so many years in therapy and provided a better framework instead of making it up as I went.

I learned some about what teenage girls experience in school and socially.

I am a older parent. This book is written from the perspective of the girl, and points out how parents can do better. The author admits she does not have children and does not plan to have children. She is also not a therapist. This limits how her advice can be applied to a family. Allowing girls to grow and explore is important, but rebelling can bring limits to her future. The book offers a different perspective but leaves the healthy family environment out.