Student Books

Books for Students About Giftedness

  • Adderholdt-Elliott, M. (1987). Perfectionism: What’s Bad About Being Too Good? Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
  • Armstrong, Thomas. (). You’re Smarter Than You Think: A Kid’s Guide to Multiple Intelligences. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
  • Delisle, J. (1987). Gifted Kids Speak Out. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
  • Galbraith, J. (1999). The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide: For Ages 10 and Under (revised). Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
  • Galbraith, J. (1996). The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook (revised). Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

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Literature With Gifted Characters

  • Annotated Bibliography From "Gifted Kids, Gifted Characters, and Great Books" by Bertie Kingore
  • Avi. (1991). Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel. New York: Orchard Books. 4-8 Avi's book emerges as a witty satire of high school politics that invites the reader to question and analyze what they read and hear from the mass media.
  • Bedard, M. (1992). Emily. New York: Doubleday. 3-6 An insightful vignette of the reclusive life of Emily Dickinson is shared through a young neighbor's visit.
  • Burnett, F.H. (1981). Sara Crewe. New York: Putnam 2-6 Originally written in 1888, Sara remains courageous and compassionate as she is orphaned and falls from riches to a pauper.
  • Curtis, C.P. (1999). Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Delacorte. 4-8 This well-crafted novel explores the life and hard times of a resourceful orphan in search of his father during the Depression.
  • Dahl, R. (1988). Matilda. New York: Viking. 2-6 Matilda, a genius with selfish dolts for parents, uses her untaped mental ability to punish some hurtful adults and save her nice teacher.
  • Fitzgerald, J.D. (1967). The Great Brain. New York: Dial. 2-6 This is the first title of an extensive series exploring the adventures of a genius main character.
  • Fitzhugh, L. (1964). Harriet, the Spy. New York: Harper & Row. 1-5 Harriet is intelligent and curious. She writes observations of her neighbors and classmates and then must devise a creative solution to convince her friends to forgive her.
  • Fox, M. (1985). Wilford Gordon McDonald Partridge. New York: Kane/Miller. K-3 Wilford's favorite friend at the retirement home loses her memory, and he wants to figure out how to find it for her.
  • Freedman, R. (1991). The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane. New York: Scholastic. 4-8 This non-fiction book, using historical photographs and in-depth information, explains the determination and creativity leading to Wilber and Orville Wright's invention of the airplane.
  • George, J.C. (1959). My Side of the Mountain. New York: Dutton. 3-6 Sam's diary reveals his experiences living alone and off the land in the Catskill Mountains.
  • Hamilton, V. (1971). The Planet of Junior Brown. New York: Macmillan. 5-8 Junior Brown is a talented pianist whose weight causes people to ostracize him. This inner-city story weaves a complex tale about friendship, loyalty, and learning to live together.
  • Hoffman, M. (1991). Amazing Grace. New York: Dial. K-3 When Grace wants to try out for the role of Peter Pan, her family encourages her to be what she wants to be, but her friends are not as supportive.
  • Konigsburg, E.L. (1967) From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. New York: Atheneum. 3-7 A sister and a brother run away from home to hide in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and decipher the mystery of a statue.
  • Konigsburg, E.L. (1996). The View from Saturday. New York: Scholastic. 4-8 Four gifted students and their teacher form a team for the Academic Bowl and enhance their humanity in the process.
  • Krull, K. (1996). Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman. San Diego: Harcourt Brace. 2-6 This is a simple but informative biography of Wilma Rudolph overcoming polio, struggling to walk, and finally becoming an Olympic runner.
  • L'Engle, M (1962). A Wrinkle in TIme. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Girous. (1973). A Wind in the Door. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. (Sequel) (1978). A Swiftly Tilting Planet. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. (Sequel) 3-8 The family members in this science-fiction classic trilogy travel the cosmos, face the problem of being different, fight to overcome evil, and discover the power of love.
  • Levine, G.C. (1997). Ella Enchanted. New York: Harper Collins. 3-8 In this Cinderella-based novel, the spunky, intelligent heroine struggles to overcome the curse that forces her to obey any command given to her.
  • Lionni, L. (1967). Frederick. New York: Random House. K-3 Frederick is different and the other mice have to learn to appreciate his talents.
  • Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell. 4-8 This complex novel relates the story of a perfect world with no problems, fears, or pain. The Giver holds the memories of the pain and pleasure of life for the rest of the population.
  • MacLachlan, P. (1988). The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt. New York: Harper & Row. 4-8 Minna is a talented musician who struggles to learn to appreciate herself an the uniqueness of her family.
  • Martin, J.B. (1998). Snowflake Bentley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 2-6 Persistence and family support are taught in this biography of Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley --a self-taught photographer and scientist.
  • Parks, R & Haskins, J. (1992). Rosa Parks: My Story. New York: Penquin. K-5 Rosa Parks tells her story including the famous incident on the Montgomery bus.
  • Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Teribithia. New York: Avon. 4-8 Two nonconformist friends create their own magical realm and encourage each others gifts as they grow in self-discovery.
  • Paterson, K. (1985). Come Sing, Jimmy Jo. New York: Dutton. 4-8 Painful shyness causes self and family conflicts for a gifted eleven-year-old boy when he reluctantly joins his family's musical group.
  • Paterson, K. (1980). Jacob Have I Loved. New York: Avon. 6-8- Complex relationships and emotions evolve as a twin feels that her sister has deprived her of parental affection and schooling.
  • Paulsen, G. (1996). Brian's Winter. New York: Scholastic. (1987). Hatchet. New York: Trumpet. 3-8 When the plane crashes, Brian is the sole survivor and must solve unique survival problems.
  • Raskin, E. (1978). The Westing Game. New York: Avon. 3-8 This mystery challenges the reader to follow sixteen characters and plot line twists to solve a puzzle.
  • Roberts, M. (1986). Henry Cisneros: Mexican American Mayor. Chicago: Children's Press. 3-8 This is the biography of the national government official and former mayor of San Antonio.
  • ss, T. (1994). Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. K-2 With a generous serving of puns, Eggbert uses his creativity and has many adventures trying to fit in and be accepted.
  • Sobol, D.J. (1963). Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective. New York: Thomas Nelson. 1-4 The first title of an extensive series of mysteries that the hero must solve.
  • Steig, W. (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Prentice-Hall. K-4 Sylvester is in a predicament when he finds a magic stone and a hungry lion. This is a perfect story for illustrating loving family relationships and modeling sophisticated vocabulary.
  • Taylor, M. (1976). Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. New York: Dial. (1981). Let the Circle Be Unbroken. New York: Dial. (Sequel). 3-8 Cassie and her brother, children of a black school teacher, face subtle and explicit racial prejudice in the early twentieth century.
  • Voight, C. (1981). The Homecoming. New York: Atheneum. (1982). Dicey's Song. New York: Atheneum. (Prequel) 3-8 With determination and creative problem solving, a young girl struggles to keep her family together after their mother abandons them.
  • Wynne-Jones, T. (1995). The Maestro. New York: Orchard Books. 4-8 Burl's life is changed in one day when he runs away from his abusive father and stumbles upon an eccentric genius living in a remote cabin.

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References

  • Breen, K., E. Fader., K. Odean, & Z. Sutherland. (2000). "One hundred books that shaped the century". School Library Journal, January, 50-58.
  • Kingore, B. (2001). The Kingore Observation Inventory (KOI), 2nd ed. Austin: Professional Associates Publishing.
  • Spredemann-Dreyer, S. (1989). The Bookfinder: A Guide to Children's Literature About the Needs and Problems of Youth Ages 2-15. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.

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"Best of the Best"

These books are the "best of the best" list from Stephen Schroeder-Davis in "Giftedness: A Double-edged Sword" for 7th through 12th grade. The selections have mature themes.

  • 7-12 Brooks, Bruce. Midnight Hour Encores. Harper & Row, 1986. 263 pages. This is one of the very few examinations of a prodigy in adolescent fiction. This is a fine examination of the conflicts, sacrifices, and rewards inherent in the pursuit of an all-consuming passion, as well as an affirmation of single parenting.
  • 7-12 Cooney, Caroline. Among Friends. Bantam Books,1987. 169 pages. The book is a focused microcosm of the anti-intellectual, coercive egalitarian nonsense that occurs too often in too many schools with incalculable harm to our very brightest students. Highly recommended.
  • Mature 7-12 Peck, Richard. Remembering the Good Times. Dell Publishing, 1985. 181 pages. Peck wrote this book in response to his high school tours where far too many students seemed willing to consider suicide as a means of dealing with pain. Reader's should be aware that the book is dramatic and powerful in part because Trav does commit suicide.
  • 7-12 Snyder, Zilpha Keatley. Libby on Wednesday. Delacorte Press, 1990. 196 pages. Libby is an 8th grader attending public school for the first time after years of intense home schooling. She is shocked to discover that her knowledge, abilities, and enthusiasm are not valued as they were at home. She begins to fit in when she finds other students who share her interest in writing.
  • 7-12 Williams-Garcia, Rita. Fast Talk on a Slow Track. Lodestar Books, 1991. 182 pages. Class valedictorian Danzal Watson has never been seriously challenged or humiliated until his freshman orientation at Princeton. The author wrote this book expressly for "...bright young men who are sudddenly caught off guard by failure."

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References

  • Cornett, C., & Cornett, C. (1980). Bibliotheraphy: The Right Book at the Right TIme. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Foundation.
  • Hynes A & Hynes-Berry, M. (1986). Biblio/Poetry Therapy: The Interactive Process. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

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