Top 10 Books on Giftedness
Top 10 Books on Giftedness
1. Bringing Out the Best: A Resource Guide for Parents of Young Gifted Children by Jacqulyn Saunders with Pamela Espelund. Free Spirit Publishing
A highly practical book. Gives suggestions for enriching home learning plus advice on choosing preschools.
2. The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids by Sally Y. Walker. Free Spirit Publishing
Good advice written with a sense of humor. I've read it many times over!
3. The Gifted Kids Survival Guide: For Ages 10 and Under by Judy Galbraith. Free Spirit Publishing
Written for the younger gifted student, this helpful book explains giftedness clearly. Gives many suggestions to help make the school experience more positive.
4. The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook by Judy Galbraith and Jim Delisle, PhD. Free Spirit Publishing
Recently updated, this valuable book covers topics such as how to relate with peers, devising your own curriculum, and college planning. An important chapter covers depression and suicide risks. My own kids have read this.
5. Keys to Parenting the Gifted Child by Sylvia Rimm, PhD. Barron's Publishing
Part of the Barron's Parenting Keys Series, this helpful book examines questions many parents of gifted children have, such as when to start school, grade-skipping, and homework habits. Very readable.
6. Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good? By Miriam Adderholdt-Elliot, PhD. Free Spirit Publishing
The title says it all. Though directed towards any perfectionist you know -- older middle-school age and up -- this book will also help parents understand and cope with their own gifted perfectionist child.
7. The Roller-Coaster Years: Raising Your Child through the Maddening yet Magical Middle School Years by Charlene Gianetti and Margaret Sagarese. Broadway Books
Though not written specifically for parents of gifted kids, this is a very helpful book for parents of an often overlooked age group. There is also a comprehensive list of resources for every chapter!
8. College Planning for Gifted Students by Sandra L. Berger. The Council for Exceptional Children
A book that takes you from choosing middle-school courses to the college-application process. Recently updated, it also includes data on gifted-teen summer programs and state gifted associations.
9. The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap by Alvin Rosenfeld, MD and Nicole Wise. St. Martin's Griffen Press
Gifted kids often want to put themselves in too many activities. Though not specifically directed at parents of gifted, this book examines this concern and makes recommendations for putting on the brakes.
10. The Gifted Adult: A Revolutionary Guide for Liberating Everyday Genius by Mary-Elaine Jacobsen, PsyD. Ballentine Books
You didn't think you stopped being gifted when you grew up, did you? Insightful writing examines issues that gifted adults may face if they don't successfully incorporate their "differentness" into their personality. Since many parents of gifted kids are gifted themselves, this book is highly recommended.
