Recomended introductory books for Parents new to Giftedness in Children
If requesting a book from this page please enter your phone number, name or membership number so librarian can
establish who you are.
Click here to recommend
a book the librarian should purchase or add to this list.
| Title |
Author |
Comments |
| | | Gifted Young Children 2nd Edition |
Louise Porter |
Gifted Young Children is a practical guide to identifying and supporting young children who may be gifted or talented. Louise Porter outlines how to identify and provide educationally for children aged up to 8 years with advanced development. She explains how teachers and parents can promote children's emotional and social adjustment, including ways to enhance self-esteem, encourage friendships and support their autonomy. She shows how parents can discuss giftedness with children and respond to their needs.Updated to reflect recent research, this second edition is a valuable resource for parents and anyone working with or caring for a gifted or talented child.Praise for the first edition:..'A wealth of creative ideas and practical advice for developing the talents of this under-served population. Her humour and candor, compassion and insight will endear her work to readers internationally.'Joan Franklin Smutny, Director, Center for Gifted, National-Louis University, USA. 'A comprehensive text that will meet the needs of a wide range of readers from early childhood professionals and teachers to parents.' Wilma Vialle, The Australasian Journal of Gifted Education. 'Interesting, clear and comprehensive'Helen Wilson, Research Centre for Able Pupils, Oxford Brookes University,UK |
Details |
Request | | Grandparents' guide to gifted children |
J T Webb, J L Gore, F A Karnes, A S McDaniel |
Review from member 2009 - 'Very useful for explaining giftedness to a grandparent and providing practical advice on how to help'.
Grandparents are very important in the lives of their gifted grandchildren. Gifted children may be perfectionistic, idealistic, impatient with others and emotionally sensitive and temperamental. They often have an inner drive to learn and may ask questions until adult ears are tired. They are sometimes exhausting to be around. Grandparents can provide important emotional support for bright, talented children
This book includes
- early signs of giftedness
- special needs of gifted children
- unique roles of grandparents
- building a bond with a grandchild
- maximising grandparenting
- education plans
- when a grandparent is the parent
- leaving a personal legacy |
Details |
Request | | Help! Now What? |
Robyn D Nairn (Wilson) |
Parents of gifted children need to access information to assist in raising their gifted children. over many years it became obvious to the author that the problem was not so much finding information but rather sifting through to find relevant and applicable information, particularly in regard to library access and the internet.
Provided here is a range of books, journals and webistes useful to parents of gifted children. Entries have been carefully researched and chosen for their use to parents fo gifted children within New Zealand.
These books, databases, journals and websites chosen specifically for their access through public libraries, providing more than adequate information anc contacts for parents - including a range of resources applicable to learning differences and syndrones with social impacts some children have a contributing condition -, in order to be able to raise their children in a happy, stimulatin and appropriate fashion |
Details |
Request | | Helping Gifted Children Soar |
Carol A. Strip, Ph.D with Gretchen Hirsch |
This user-friendly guidebook educates parents and teachers about important gifted issues such as working with schools, evaluating classroom programs, forming parent support groups, choosing appropriate curriculum, meeting social and emotional needs, surviving the ups and downs, and much more! The information and useful advice provided make this book an ideal resource both for those just starting out in the gifted field as well as those who are seasoned veterans. |
Details |
Request | | Infinity & Zebra Stripes - Life with Gifted Children |
Wendy Skinner |
"A must-read for parents who may face the long and winding road of school advocacy for their gifted children. I take comfort in her story... as a kindred spirit who understands and who has been there." --Karen Isaacson, Parent, and author of Raisin' Brains: Surviving My Smart Family, and co-author of Intelligent Life in the Classroom: Smart Kids and their Teachers. "Skinner's family comes alive as she describes the social and emotional aspects of nurturing gifted children. She includes helpful details of how she worked effectively with her children's schools using 'honey instead of vinegar.'" --Wenda Sheard, J.D., Ph.D., Parent, and member of the Board of Directors of SENG, Supporting the Emotional Needs of Gifted "This book offers sage words for beginning parents and seasoned insights for those more experienced, including teachers. Wendy Skinner s unvarnished chronicle of life with 2 gifted children strikes just the right balance. More importantly, this rewarding little book highlights the responsibility of parents to reach out for information, stay aware of the bigger picture, and not leave the development of gifted children to chance. " --Robin Schader, Ph.D., Parent, grandparent, and Parent Resource Specialist for the National Association for Gifted Children and Neag Center for Talent Development, University of Connecticut "Every parent of a gifted child would do well to read this book. It helps to assuage the feelings of isolation that come with parenting a gifted child. If I had read this book, or had a Wendy to talk with, when I was raising my gifted son, life would have been much less turbulent. "This book should be required reading for teachers and administrators faced with planning appropriate educational experiences for gifted children. It should also be required reading in teacher training classes."Infinity & Zebra Stripes lends parents the courage to speak up -- speak up for your gifted children so they won't get lost in the system." -- Lea Trimble, Gifted Association of Missouri, Editor, GAMbit |
Details |
Request | | Losing Our Minds - Gifted Children Left Behind |
Deborah L. RUF, PH.D. |
Member comment : 'Very good book. US based but still with a lot of relevance to NZ families'. Rated 5 Star on Amazon. Written for parents and teachers who work with gifted children, this book describes behaviors of children who are measured at the highest ranges of intelligence. The data indicate there are many more of these children than previously thought. Fascinating vignettes from 50 different families and their highly intelligent children are included. Testing, test scores, and interpretations of scores are explained in a new, eye-opening way. Parents and teachers will be able to compare a child's behaviors and developmental milestones to those of children in the five Levels chapters, and thus estimate their child's I.Q. The Levels have implications for educational planning. |
Details |
Request | | Nurturing Gifted and Talented Children |
Ministry of Education - Jill Bevan-Brown and Shirley Taylor |
Back cover : Written to help answer many of the questions parents ask about supporting their gifted and talented childrenand to assist parents, schools, and teachers to form positive partnerships. Review from a member : A bit basic but OK as an introduction. |
Details |
Request | | Parenting Gifted Kids - Tips for Raising Happy and Successful Children |
James R Delisle Ph.D |
Apr 10 Comment from member: 'I found it to be one of the most useful books that I have read so far, it gives good advice that makes sense and a balanced overview of giftedness.'
Parenting Gifted Kids: Tips For Raising Happy And Successful Children by James R. Delisle (Professor of Gifted Education at Kent State University) is an informative and "parent friendly" reference for enabling a truly gifted child to expressively and productively achieve their life goals, develop sound character, and general enjoy their life. Examining overly excitable children, the type of gift granted to each child, working with the school system, dealing with perfectionist children, being a positive role model, building a child's character, and helping kids achieve their set goals and dreams, Parenting Gifted Kids is very highly recommended reading, especially to all new parents of a gifted child. |
Details |
Request | | Perfectionism. What's bad about being good? |
Miriam Adderholdt and Jan Goldberg |
Are you a high achiever? A straight-A student? A procrastinator? A workaholic? Are you hard on yourself? Always anxious about your abilities? Worried about being "good enough"? |
Details |
Request | | Raise Your Childs Social IQ - Stepping Stones to People Skills for Kids |
Cathi Cohen, L.C.S.W. |
Member review 'I found the book to be a bit of common sense really and not too much of an insight that offered anything new. However if you are having issues with a first child and have not seen how things go with other kids in social situations or are really shy yourself, it may be useful.' Parents, this book offers direct, sense-making, step-by-step exercises that parents can do with their children to increase their social skills and awareness. Based on the highly successful social skills training groups that have been directed by Cathi Cohen for many years, Raise Your Child's Social I.Q. provides parents with the structure to work on skills at home--how to join a group, how to choose friends, how to notice what people around you are feeling, how to handle angry feelings and much, much more. |
Details |
Request | | Raising a Gifted Child - A Parenting Success Handbook |
Carol Fertig |
Author Carol Fertig writes a popular blog on gifted children at the Prufrock press website, and has many years of experience as a classroom teacher and gifted education specialist.
In the introduction, Fertig states, "There is no one way to define giftedness and no 'correct' prescription for working with highly able individuals. Instead of giving you 'magic' solutions, in this book, I have provided a large menu of strategies, organizations, and web sites to help you help your child learn and develop." She follows through on her promise with an open view of giftedness and myriad ways to encourage learning and personal growth.
I won't run through every chapter here, but I will offer some of the highlights. Chapter One, "Who Is This Kid Anyway?" discusses reasons to test. The author also advises parents not to get hung up on labels or test scores,but to pay attention to strengths and challenges instead.
Chapter Two, "Understanding Gifted Kids" has a useful chart of concomitant characteristics of giftedness. Verbal proficiency, for instance, can be positive when it means a child is articulate, but also negative in cases when the verbal child dominates conversation. A goal oriented individual may get tasks done, but also may be seen as stubborn and inflexible. Recognizing particular tendencies and proclivities will help children to learn to focus on the positive aspects of their strengths. Significant time in this chapter is also devoted to perfectionism, and social skills, asynchrony, and the extrovert/introvert scale are covered as well.
Fertig is a former teacher and parent to two gifted children. In chapter Four, "Parental Responsibilities", she encourages parents to work on improving school situations and not just complaining about them. In her words, "To be effective, parents of bright children have the responsibility to learn as much as they can about gifted education, to work with schools and districts in constructive ways, and to offer enrichment and other learning opportunities outside of school."
Chapter Seven, "Specific Subjects" is full of many suggestions and links for parents and children to explore. Various programs, competitions, print resources and clubs are mentioned, and all are categorized by subject and described by the author. This section in itself is a good reason to buy this book. There are also further resources listed in the back of the guide.
Carol Fertig sees gifted children as unique individuals and her message is clear. She wants parents to know their kids, know their options, and be proactive about providing educational challenges.
|
Details |
Request | | See Jane Win for Girls: a smart girl's guide to success |
Dr Syliva Rimm |
have you ever seen successful women and wondered, "how did they get that way? What did they do when they were kids? How did they feel? What kind of experiences did they have? How did they become so confident and strong?"
Dr Syliva Rimm wondered the same things. She decided to get answers - from women themselves. She and her daughters surveyed more than 1,000 successful women, then wrote tow books for adults: SEE JANE WIN and HOW JANE WON. Those books are helping many parents raise amazing daughters.
But you don't have to wait for someone to help you. You can help yourself. This book shows you how. It's full of ideas you can start using now to shape your own future.
Look inside to find
- specific, practical "I CAN" tips for following your dreams, building healthy esteem, using your brainpower, improving your social smarts, forming new interests and talents, exploring the world, dealing wiht big changes, finding role models and mentors, learning and growing with your family
- quick quizzes and questions that keep you on track
- fill-in-the-bland charts and pages that help you learn more about yourself
- True "I CAN" stories from kids and teens
- inspiring words from real women - teachers, attorneys, astronauts, musicians, physicians, photographers, publishers, congress women, business women, radio announcers, TV news anchors, homemakers and more
- a 'digging deeper' discussion guide to share with caring adults
|
Details |
Request | | Some of my Best Friends are Books 2nd Edition - Guiding Gifted readers from Preschool to High School |
Judith Wynn Halsted |
A guide for Parents, Teachers, Librarians and Counselors. Contains background info on the emotional and intellectual needs of children of high ability. Typical reading patterns, the need for guidance, and how to discuss books with young readers. An annotated bibliography of almost 300 books carefully selected to promote intellectual and emotional development. |
Details |
Request | | Stand up for your gifted child: how to make the most of kids strengths at school and at home |
Joan Franklin Smutny |
This practical guide makes you a powerful advocate for your child at school and at home. You'll learn that giftedness is (and isn't) how to recognise your childs gifts, how to understand his school problems and how to find out their policy on gifted education. You'll explore various options for your child's education and learn how to communicate effectively with the school, connect with other parents and provide enrichment at home. You'll discover your rights as parents and the benefits of taking a stand. Real life examples show how any parent can advocate for his child |
Details |
Request | | Teaching Meditation to Children |
David Fontana and Ingrid Slack |
Reviewed by a member : 'I first heard about this at the NZAGC conference in Christchurch, from several G&T teachers who used it in their classes. They all thoroughly recommended it. It covers benefits of meditation, different types (e.g. for mindfulness, concentration, body awareness, emotions), how to set up for it and then how to do it with different age groups. Different techniques and considerations of meditating with small groups, full classes, individuals and family groups are covered. Case studies are given of where meditation has helped children with various aspects of life, from insomnia and impatience to creativity and shyness. The authors are careful not to couch it in overly spiritual or new age language, to keep it accessible to a broad range of people. I have already tried the basic meditation with my daughter and she has since asked me to talk her through a meditation when unable to sleep. I'm looking forward to trying some of the slightly more advanced techniques (visualisation, for example) with her soon. It's not written from a G&T perspective, but it is a useful addition to the parenting tool box.' |
Details |
Request | | The Hidden Lives of Learners |
Graham Nuthall |
The Hidden Lives of Learners takes the reader deep into the hitherto undiscovered world of the learner. It explores the three worlds which together shape a student’s learning – the public world of the teacher, the highly influential world of peers, and the student’s own private world and experiences. What becomes clear is that just because a teacher is teaching, does not mean students are learning. Review from a member : fantastic and essential if you as a parent/educator are trying to work out what will work for your child! |
Details |
Request | | The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children |
NAGC Edited by Neihart, Reis, Robinson, Moon. |
The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know? offers an examination of the essential topics teachers, parents, and researchers need to know about the social and emotional development of gifted children. Instigated by a task force convened by the National Association for Gifted Children and written by leading scholars in the field of gifted education, the book includes chapters on peer pressure and social acceptance, resilience, delinquency, and underachievement. The book also summarizes several decades worth of research on special populations, including minority, learning-disabled, and gay and lesbian gifted students. Concise, comprehensive, meticulously researched, and wide-ranging in its coverage, The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know? is essential reading for those who wish to enable gifted students to develop their strengths and encourage them to make the contributions of which they are capable. |
Details |
Request | | The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids |
Sally Yahnke Walker |
Does your child ... - drive you crazy with questions? - refuse to take no for an answer? - seem smarter or more talented than other kids his age? - have a zany sense of humour? - like to be challenged with new ideas? - have a vocabulary larger than she is? - prefer the company of adults or older children? - have a wide range of interests or one consuming passion? - remember things you would rather forget? - march to the beat of a different drummer? If you answered 'yes' to most or all of these questions, your child might be gifted and this book is for you. Look inside to find out: - what it means to be gifted (and doesn't mean) - what make gifted kids so special - how kids are identified as gifted (and why some slip through the cracks of the system) - what's good (and not so good) about being identified as gifted - how to make sure that your child gets the learning opportunities he needs - how to cope with the unique challenges of parenting a gifted child - how to handle specific problems including super-sensitivity, perfectionism and your own concerns about raising a 'nerd' Complete with current information about research, tests and testing, trends in gifted education, real-life examples, first person stories, step by step strategies, resources and encouragement. This book is for any parent who is faced with the sometimes overwhelming task of raising a gifted child |
Details |
Request | | The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids |
Sally Yahnke Walker |
Does your child ...
- drive you crazy with questions?
- refuse to take no for an answer?
- seem smarter or more talented than other kids his age?
- have a zany sense of humour?
- like to be challenged with new ideas?
- have a vocabulary larger than she is?
- prefer the company of adults or older children?
- have a wide range of interests or one consuming passion?
- remember things you would rather forget?
- march to the beat of a different drummer?
If you answered 'yes' to most or all of these questions, your child might be gifted and this book is for you. Look inside to find out:
- what it means to be gifted (and doesn't mean)
- what make gifted kids so special
- how kids are identified as gifted (and why some slip through the cracks of the system)
- what's good (and not so good) about being identified as gifted
- how to make sure that your child gets the learning opportunities he needs
- how to cope with the unique challenges of parenting a gifted child
- how to handle specific problems including super-sensitivity, perfectionism and your own concerns about raising a 'nerd'
Complete with current information about research, tests and testing, trends in gifted education, real-life examples, first person stories, step by step strategies, resources and encouragement. This book is for any parent who is faced with the sometimes overwhelming task of raising a gifted child |
Details |
Request | | The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids |
Sally Yahnke Walker |
Does your child ... - drive you crazy with questions? - refuse to take no for an answer? - seem smarter or more talented than other kids his age? - have a zany sense of humour? - like to be challenged with new ideas? - have a vocabulary larger than she is? - prefer the company of adults or older children? - have a wide range of interests or one consuming passion? - remember things you would rather forget? - march to the beat of a different drummer? If you answered 'yes' to most or all of these questions, your child might be gifted and this book is for you. Look inside to find out: - what it means to be gifted (and doesn't mean) - what make gifted kids so special - how kids are identified as gifted (and why some slip through the cracks of the system) - what's good (and not so good) about being identified as gifted - how to make sure that your child gets the learning opportunities he needs - how to cope with the unique challenges of parenting a gifted child - how to handle specific problems including super-sensitivity, perfectionism and your own concerns about raising a 'nerd' Complete with current information about research, tests and testing, trends in gifted education, real-life examples, first person stories, step by step strategies, resources and encouragement. This book is for any parent who is faced with the sometimes overwhelming task of raising a gifted child |
Details |
Request | | They're Not Bringing My Brain Out |
Rosemary Cathcart |
Lost. See 301,302,321 |
Details |
Request | | They're not bringing my brain out |
Rosemary Cathcart |
Have you ever wondered
- how to cope with a very bright child when you've got 25 other children in the class?
- what to do now you're in charge of the gifted programme
- how to help the teacher understand your gifted child
This book is written for everyone who lives or works with a gifted child - classroom teachers, GATE coordinators, parents and caregivers, special needs and resource teachers, counsellors and home-schooling families.
THEY'RE NOT BRINGING MY BRAIN OUT
- provides clear discussion of the issues involved for all concerned, including the child;
- sets out four key concepts for understanding and meeting the needs of gifted learners (the REACH model);
- includes a wealth of practical, easy-to-use strategies for implementing this model, with loads of high interest lesson ideas and examples;
- covers a wide range of supporting topics such as resources, ability grouping, parent perspectives, cultual differences, giftedness and learning disability and much more, plus special material on identification
Written by one of New Zealand's leading authorities on gifted education, this updated edition extends a text already recognised as an essential guide to this important topic |
Details |
Request | | They're Not Bringing My Brain Out - 3rd Edition |
Rosemary Cathcart |
Rosemary has been involved in gifted education since 1981 in a wide variety of roles as both parent and teacher. In the mid 1980's she developed the REACH model for teaching gifted children, then became involved in taking workshops for teachers, and from 1990 to 1994 was tutor for the Auckland College of Education's post-grad papers in this field. From 1992 to 1995 she served as sole advisor on gifted children for the Special Education Service (now GSE). In 1995, she established New Zealand's only education centre specialising in gifted education, the George Parkyn Centre, led it through its first decade to its present nationally recognised status, and developed its innovative One Day School programme. She lobbied intensively for many years for change in official attitudes toward gifted education, leading to the Minister's Working Party on which she served. She has also worked extensively with parents and with parent groups and has served as national president of the NZ Assn for Gifted Children and for many years as advisor to that body's National Council. Her published work in this field includes a teachers' manual now in its third edition, editing the papers of Professor George Parkyn, writing a management guide to implementing the Ministry's policy following the NAG change in 2005, and various articles. She was awarded the QSM in 2004 for her work in gifted education. |
Details |
Request | | When Gifted Kids don't have all the answers - How to meet their social and emotional needs |
Jim Delisle Ph.D. and Judy Galbraith M.A. |
When parents and teachers think about gifted kids they - not surprisingly - focus on their intellectual needs. But gifted kids are much more than test grades. Delisle and Galbraith take a close-up look at gifted kids from the inside out. Topics include: * Self-image and self-esteem * Perfectionism * Multipotential * Depression and stress * Feelings of 'being different' The authors suggest ways to help gifted underachievers and those who are bored in school, along with ways to encourage healthy relationships. Rated 5 stars on Amazon |
Details |
Request | | You Know Your Child is Gifted When ... a beginner's guide to life on the bright side |
Judy Galbraith |
What does it mean to be gifted? Is it about being smart? Creative? Talented? Or what?
If you've ever asked these questions, this book is for you. Humourous cartoons blend with solid information on giftedness - its characteristics, challenges and joys.
First person stories from parents who have been there offer reassurance and insights. As you smile at the illustrations and anecdotes, you'll discover what sets gifted kids apart and how you can support your child's unique abilities. You'll strengthen your parenting skills and get answers to other questions you've wondered about - like:
- are gifted kids really different?
- how are kids selected for gifted programs?
- how can I help my child make the most of his or her abilities
and you will sigh with relief as you learn ways to help your young gifted child and yourself |
Details |
Request |
Books Displayed = 25.
Total number of Books in library = 411.
Back to NZAGC Home Page
|
