Adolescence is the most dramatic, formative and misunderstood period of our lives. Whether you''re caring for a teenager or looking to make sense of your own youth, this is the only book you'll need to understand it.

'Wonderful and deeply moving . . . You will almost certainly find yourself reassessing your own teenage years' MARK HADDON

'Compelling, useful and fascinating . . . revealing adolescence''s unwritten rules' JO BRAND

In this expert, empowering book, psychologist Lucy Foulkes draws on the latest research and in-depth interviews to demystify adolescent behaviours - friendship, risk-taking, sex, love, bullying and more - and expose the surprising and often moving reality beneath them. She shows that:

- teenagers are far more conservative than rebellious
- apparent recklessness is often calculated and risk-averse
- popularity is a mixed blessing even as friendships can be a life-changing good
- adolescents have an extraordinary capacity for empathy and mutual support

The book also explains why:

- social hierarchies are so fiercely policed
- why appearances are overly important
- why rejection hurts so much

Ultimately, Coming of Age shows us that even the most difficult experiences are part of an essential and life-shaping process of self-discovery.

'Hopeful, inspiring . . . leaves you with a greater understanding of your own adolescence, and greater compassion for those currently in its throes' Camilla Nord, author of The Balanced Brain

'A must read for everyone interested in what is going on with adolescents' Essi Viding, Professor of Developmental Pyschopathy, UCL

'Wise and compassionate, well-researched and straight-talking' Dr Gavin Francis, author of Recovery

'Comprehensive, accessible and super useful' Dr Tara Porter, Clinical Psychologist