Author, speaker, expert
Author of 100+ books and international authority on adolescent brains, stress and well-being; learning; the reading brain; and effects of screens and social media. Here you can book me to speak, buy my unique teaching materials, find out about my award-winning books or immerse yourself in fascinating human science.
My Areas of expertise
Adolescent brains
and lives
Explaining the changes that define teenage development: biological (sleep, emotion, peer pressure, risk-taking) and external pressures of exams, friends, school and family. Key books: Blame My Brain – The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed and Positively Teenage.
Wellbeing and
stress management
Bringing you evidence-based understanding of stress management, with intriguing insights into brain bandwidth and multi-tasking. For all ages, for life. Key books: Teenage Guide to Stress, Teenage Guide to Friends and Positively Teenage.
The reading
brain
A former dyslexia expert, I’m passionate and knowledgeable about the science of reading and the different effects of our choices. My special interest is the evidence of the enormous benefits of reading for pleasure and I invented the word “readaxation”.
Life
online
The internet and our always-with-us devices have changed our lives, work, friendships – even sleep. I share the science – negatives and positives – for all ages. With common sense, I promise. Key book: The Teenage Guide to Life Online.
I have written over 100 books and won many awards. I'm most proud to have won the School Library Association's "Outstanding Contribution to Children's Information Books", as well as the Scottish Children's Book of the Year twice for fiction and the SLA Award for The Teenage Guide to Stress, in both the judges' and readers' categories.
BUY Classroom MATERIALS
My popular materials are used in schools all over the world to teach wellbeing and boost learning for life. Perpetual licences make them exceptional value.
Latest news
Signed books for Christmas – 20% discount for YOU
Books are the best presents. My books speak directly to young people (though their adults very often read them eagerly) and I write them in a way you just don’t
Featured Book
The pros and cons of the Digital Age, from the information explosion to the growth of social media. I investigate hot topics like fake news and privacy, multi-tasking and distraction, addiction and over-use, with fascinating, cutting-edge research into how the internet and screen-use affect our lives.
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Nicola's story
Most people look at me, read my books or hear me speak and think I am super-controlled, calm, healthy and confident. Most of that is a façade I’ve learned to display. With a highly-ambitious, perfectionist, over-sensitive and introvert personality, I have experience of stress-related illness, anxiety and failure to deal with pressure.
I am an international speaker and have spoken to audiences in countries including France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Spain, Sweden, the UAE, Malaysia, Brunei, India, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
ARTICLES BY CATEGORY
Body Brilliant – a call for help!
When I announced the Body Brilliant deal recently, I said I’d be calling for help. (I actually said I’d be calling for help the next day, but I’ve edited that
#44 of 52 WAYS to WELLBEING: Make something with your hands
In #20, I talked about the benefits of learning something new. In today’s tip, #44, I’m adding making something with your hands, which could also be learning something new. This
National Non-Fiction November and the School Library Association Awards
I write all sorts of books, fiction and “non”-fiction. 101 so far and another in the pipeline. They’re all very different, for different readers and with different aims. It’s a
The Teenage Guide to Life Online – a surprise for teenagers
Humans are full of prejudices. Prejudices are things we think or believe before we’ve seen the evidence. Many prejudices are sensible and act to keep us safe. For example, if
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