How Children Succeed

Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

By: Paul Tough

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Why do some children succeed while others fail?

The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs.

But in How Children Succeed, Paul Tough argues that the qualities that matter most have more to do with character: skills like perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control.

How Children Succeed introduces us to a new generation of researchers and educators who, for the first time, are using the tools of science to peel back the mysteries of character. Through their stories—and the stories of the children they are trying to help—Tough traces the links between childhood stress and life success. He uncovers the surprising ways in which parents do—and do not—prepare their children for adulthood. And he provides us with new insights into how to help children growing up in poverty.

Early adversity, scientists have come to understand, can not only affect the conditions of children’s lives, it can alter the physical development of their brains as well. But now educators and doctors around the country are using that knowledge to develop innovative interventions that allow children to overcome the constraints of poverty. And with the help of these new strategies, as Tough’s extraordinary reporting makes clear, children who grow up in the most painful circumstances can go on to achieve amazing things.

This provocative and profoundly hopeful book has the potential to change how we raise our children, how we run our schools, and how we construct our social safety net. It will not only inspire and engage readers, it will also change our understanding of childhood itself.

Detailed deep dive into the developmental challenges of all youth

Great read. Heavy detail and comprehensive deep dive into the child’s mind and developmental barriers

Insightful and informative

Thought-provoking, especially the part about attachment. The long section on chess was not that engaging.

Best thing I’ve read on education

This book takes a fresh look at what really helps kids succeed — and it’s not just good grades or high IQs. Paul Tough brings together ideas from people like Angela Duckworth (who talks about grit) and Carol Dweck (known for her work on fixed vs. growth mindset), and combines them in a way that makes a lot of sense.

Instead of focusing on test scores, he talks about character traits like perseverance, curiosity, and resilience — and how those might actually matter more in the long run. He uses real stories of students and schools to show how these traits develop, especially in tough environments.
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This is a must read for Educators

I love how this book goes deeper into what Children need. We hear that children need two parent household and good schools, but what makes a two parent household a reason why a child would succeed? What makes a school "Good"? It shows how the system plays a part as to why so many low income children face so much adversity without the resources and community.

What a great book!

Easy to read and understand, very informative. Author brings together the information and supports it with research and ties it all together into a well rounded interesting book.