Books
Aron, E. N. (2002). The highly sensitive child. New York: Broadway Books.
Provides insights on the temperamental characteristic of high sensitivity, which is often experienced by gifted children.
Daniels, S. & Piechowski M. M. (2009). Living with intensity: Understanding the sensitivity, excitability, and emotional developent of gifted children, adolescents, and adults. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Presents Dabrowski’s theories of overexcitabilities and development as applied to gifted individuals, a perspective that is extremely helpful in understanding why GT folks are so intense.
Faber, A., & Mazlish, E. (1982) How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk. New York: Avon.
A classic on parent-child communication and building children’s self-esteem.
Greene, R. W. (2005). The explosive child. A new approach for understanding and parenting easily frustrated, chronically inflexible children. New York: Harper.
Gives an approach to discipline that many parents of gifted children find helpful.
Halsted, J. W. (2009). Some of my best friends are books: Guiding gifted readers from preschool to high school (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
In addition to providing well-organized book lists and approaches to reading, contains an extensive discussion of emotional and intellectual development of gifted children.
Kay, K., Robson, D., & Brenneman (Eds.) (2007). High IQ kids: Collected insights, information, and personal stories from the experts. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
Presents a wide range of perspectives on identification, education, and social-emotional needs of gifted children from some of the leading writers in the field.
Kerr, B. A. (1997). Smart girls: A new psychology of girls, women, and giftedness. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Kerr, B. A. & Cohn, S. J. (2001). Smart boys: Talent, manhood, and the search for meaning. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Each of these books provides insights into the role of gender in the expression of giftedness, and vice versa.
Klein, B. (2007). Raising gifted kids: Everything you need to know to help your exceptional child thrive. New York: American Management Association.
Shares unique insights on family dynamics; clear “do’s and don’t’s”.
Kurcinka, M. S. (2006). Raising your spirited child (Revised edition). New York: Harper.
A fantastic explanation of the role of temperament in children’s and adult personalities; essential in dealing with many gifted children.
Kurcinka, M. S. (2006). Sleepless in America. New York: HarperCollins.
Puts forth a strong argument, backed by research, for children’s (and adults’) need for more sleep, and provides specific strategies for making that happen.
Rivero, L. (2002) Creative home schooling: A resource guide for smart families. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Despite its title, this is a useful book for all families of gifted children in that it has excellent descriptions of the emotional and intellectual needs of gifted children, as well as activities that can be used for children in traditional schools as well as homeschool.
Rivero, L. (2010). The smart teens’ guide to living with intensity: How to get more out of life and learning; and (2010). A parent’s guide to gifted teens: Living with intense and creative adolescents. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
These books present both conceptual and practical considerations for addressing the role of intensity in gifted adolescents’ self-concept and relationships as well as in educational decisions and goals.
Rogers, K. B. (2002). Re-forming gifted education: Matching the program to the child. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Has an academic focus, but provides one of the most comprehensive overviews of the various approaches to gifted education.
Ruf, D. L. (2005). Losing our minds: Gifted children left behind. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Focuses on differences between gifted children of varying abilities; provides extensive case studies and parent quotes.
Waitzkin, J. (2007). The art of learning: A journey in the pursuit of excellence. Free Press.
Written by a chess prodigy and Tai Chi Chuan World Champion, this book provides inspiration and strategies for striving for excellence without falling prey to unhealthy perfectionism.
Webb, J. T., Amend, E. R., Webb, N. E., Goerss, J., Beljan, P, & Olenchack, F. R. (2005). Misdiagnosis and dual diagnosis of gifted children and adults: ADHD, bipolar, OCD, Asperger’s, depression, and other disorders. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Essential guidelines for understanding diagnoses in GT individuals; very useful to parents and teachers, not just professionals.
Webb, J. T., Gore, J. L., Amend, E. R., DeVries, A. R. (2007). A parent’s guide to gifted children. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
A comprehensive parenting guide; one of the standards in the GT bibliography.
Webb, J. T., Meckstroth, & Tolan, S. S. (1994). Guiding the gifted child: A practical source for parents and teachers. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
A briefer, earlier version of Webb, Gore et al.; contains good FAQs.
Websites
“The ‘All Things Gifted’ resource for parents, educators, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and even gifted kids and teens themselves!” An enormous yet well-organized site.
“The Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented (MCGT) is a support and advocacy organization for parents and educators of gifted children. MCGT publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, hosts a member-only email discussion list, sponsors an annual state conference with special children’s programs, conducts monthly CHAT Nights and occasional topical seminars, promotes advocacy at all levels for gifted and talented children, is active in legislative efforts on behalf of kids, and supports local chapters.”
“NAGC invests all of its resources to train teachers, encourage parents and educate administrators and policymakers on how to develop and support gifted children and what’s at stake if high-potential learners are not challenged and encouraged.” An excellent gateway site.
“MITY [Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth] offers three academic enrichment programs for bright and motivated students in grades one through 12. Diverse students expand their knowledge, challenge their perspectives and inspire their future.”
“The Association for the Gifted (TAG) was organized as a division of The Council for Exceptional Children in 1958. TAG plays a major part in helping both professionals and parents work more effectively with one of our most precious resources: the gifted child.”
“SENG [Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted] is dedicated to fostering environments in which gifted adults and children, in all their diversity, understand and accept themselves and are understood, valued, nurtured, and supported by their families, schools, workplaces and communities.”
http://www.davidsongifted.org/
“Our mission is to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young people and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference.”
http://www.us.mensa.org/Content/AML/NavigationMenu/Programs/GiftedYouth/Gifted_Children.htm
This link is the best one within the American Mensa site to find out about the national and local resources Mensa can provide, as well as resources for learning about gifted youth.