Here Be Dragons

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

De: Melanie Shankle

Narrado por: Melanie Shankle

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Nobody’s Cuter than You comes a poignant, deeply personal story about trusting God to heal generational wounds so you can be a strong, loving presence for your teenage daughter.

In medieval times, uncharted waters were marked on maps as Here Be Dragons to signify that no one knew what dangers might lie ahead. Melanie Shankle quips that the years spent raising our teenage daughters could be labeled the same due to the uncertainties before us.

Like a lot of moms, Melanie found herself in need of a parenting map when her teenage daughter, Caroline, entered her sophomore year of high school where she encountered relentless mean girls and brutal heartache. While trying to equip her daughter to deal with the toxic social dynamics of high school, Melanie was hit with a cruel realization: The shame, criticism, and verbal abuse she had endured throughout her own life was wrought by one particular mean girl—her own mother.

Melanie hoped to raise her daughter to be a warrior, and she realized she couldn’t do that unless she became healthy enough to fight her own dragons. She invites you into her story as she explores her complex family dynamics, discovering what it takes for any of us to survive and ultimately thrive in spite of wounds that remain. This was the beginning of her journey of trusting God to help break generational cycles that had told the women in her family to find their value in everything but His love.

Filled with personal stories and written in the same whimsical and honest style Melanie is known for, Here Be Dragons will have you both laughing out loud and crying—as you confront the challenges of raising your own strong, independent daughter while fighting dragons along the way.

©2025 Melanie Shankle (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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

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.

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. 😜

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!

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.

Story well told

Great insight and okay-ness to let go even when, as a Christian, it can be hard & guilt provoking when cutting someone off is best. You reading your story had such conviction and honesty, I so appreciate that.
My daughter is all grown up but has issues with her Bio mother, this book will help me with GODs truths as well, help her navigate her life as she moves forward in the healing process of possible reconciliation.
Thank you.

Great Story

This book for me was so relatable. I am now a grandmother whose granddaughter will enter high school soon. I saw so many parallels to my own relationship with my mother and wish I had this book while I was raising my own girls. I sent my oldest daughter this book and hope it helps her navigate my granddaughter's high school journey.

My favorite Melanie Shankle book

Beautiful and brutal memoir. Poignant. Heartfelt. Well-written and excellent presentation. Will listen again. Thank you

One of the very best!

I laughed, cried, and felt so much of this to my very core. Melanie’s raw emotions were so moving and her story was relatable and inspiring. Absolutely loved it!!

Could not put it down

This book made me laugh and cry. It is entertaining, inspiring, and profound. I love all of Melanie’s books but this one is my favorite.