“Looking back on my thirty years of counseling girls and families, I believe it’s never been harder to be a girl—or to raise one. Much of the difficulty results from what our girls are encountering, and much stems from what we encountered—or didn’t—during our own growing-up years. Raising a teenager to be emotionally and socially healthy can feel like a daunting and insurmountable task—since we didn’t have a road map to achieve this ourselves. But it doesn’t have to be, especially if we have friends a little farther down the road, who are willing to be honest about their own fears and failings, as well as the truth and hope they’ve found along the way. Melanie Shankle is such a friend. Here Be Dragons is 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 is to point us to the One who has saved her from all the dragons.”—Sissy Goff, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, executive director of Daystar Counseling and bestselling author of The Worry-Free Parent
“Girl moms have waited a long time for this guidance, and Melanie Shankle delivers it with integrity, wisdom, and perfectly timed humor. How do you handle mean girls without becoming one too? How do you rise above the childhood trauma inflicted by your own mother? In an age in which many families must navigate toxic relationships—inside their home and outside it, too—this book offers clarity, hope, and a carefully discerned road map on how best to move forward. Melanie is living proof that a healthy family can come from you, even if you don’t come from a healthy family—and that peace is possible when God is your guide. I found myself crying and cheering for Melanie and her daughter as they learned to stand up for themselves, stop the mean-girl cycle, and still choose kindness. The generational impact of Here Be Dragons can’t be overstated.”—Kari Kampakis, author of Love Her Well and host of the Girl Mom podcast
“It’s no secret that Melanie and I are close friends—we’ve done a podcast together for an obnoxious number of years, after all—and that is how I know that this isn’t the book Melanie intended to write. She planned to write primarily about the importance of healing, without focusing too much on the pain of the breaking. But as Melanie started to unearth the layers of her own story, it was clear to those of us who know her best that the Lord was giving her fresh compassion, not just for what she experienced in her own family but also for the ways generational wounds can linger in so many of our lives. Melanie responded to this compassion with courage and candor, and as a result, you are going to see a side of her life you have likely not known before. While it may break your heart a little bit, this book will also make you laugh, will challenge you, and will point you again and again to the Source of our hope and redemption. Here Be Dragons is Melanie’s very best writing to date: honest, tender, and full of hope. I’m so proud of her for sharing this part of her story. We’re so fortunate that we get to read it.”—Sophie Hudson, co-host of The Big Boo Cast and bestselling author of A Fine Sight to See
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