“What do boys need that they’re not getting?” In a compelling success, Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson effectively tackle the toughest issues facing adolescent boys today: identity, self-expression, and “emotional intelligence.” In their book, the two psychologists candidly discuss the ways in which society has systematically suppressed the emotional needs of boys and compressed masculinity into stereotypical ideals, impossible for any boy to meet. By using specific case studies from their combined 35 years experience in the field of child psychology, the authors succeed in describing the emotional pitfalls of boyhood from birth through the college years. Their refreshingly frank analysis of adolescent boys is key in understanding the emotional as well as the educational needs of this important group. In openly discussing issues, such as depression, suicide, substance abuse, and sexuality, Kindlon and Thompson reveal many boys’ underlying yearning to be accepted by their parents and peers, while struggling to maintain an emotionally engaged persona in an emotionally barren masculine world. Although a bit generalizing in its analysis of father/son relationships and sparse in its coverage of homosexuality, the book offers valuable insight into the world of boys and guides their loved ones to understand the reasoning behind some of their perplexing behaviors. As relevant for educators as it is for parents, Raising Cain is essential reading for anyone who cares about the emotional and educational successes of adolescent boys.