Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Pre-School to High School (2nd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: If You Only Buy One Book About The Gifted Child....
Review: ....It should be this one.

What a wonderful find! This is the road map for everything regarding the intellectually gifted child. Guiding the parent or teacher through both the heart and mind of the gifted child.

I was one of the parents in the book who always felt my gifted son was missing out on something by spending time alone, or playing alone at school. I would very much encourage him to spend more time with friends, make new friends, invite friends over. Now I have a much better understanding on why he needs so much "alone" or "down time".

I definite must for parents of gifted children age Preschool to High School! Although it even helped me figure out my gifted husband!

Rating:
Summary: A primer & a guide
Review: Books are wonderful bridges for communication about feelings, values, & decisions. Books can save lives by allowing Readers a way to use their minds in a safe, broadening & nurturing way. Literacy doesn't simply mean being able to scribble signatures, read shopping lists & understand highway signs, it means being able to read fluently, engaging the mind in an adventure of self-discovery. Packed into our brains, from conception on, is a universe of experiences, learning to read gives that universe language.

SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE BOOKS is a super guide on how to set your children on their road to a lifelong passion. Take the bibliography to your library & recruit the librarians in your hunt for good books.

Everything you want to know about what the ability to read can do for your children's minds, when it can do it & how you can help train & encourage a lifelong love of reading.

Just remember to add Reading Time to your schedule & the mix.

Rating:
Summary: Useful
Review: I bought this book mainly for the annotations of the books and, for me, the theory and application to classroom situations is a bonus. The part I will use the most is the annotation section, where the book is discussed and pointers are given on what types of issues are addressed. Discussion points, always useful for teachers, are carefully addressed for each book. I wish more books could have been included, but, of course, there are trade-offs in that - longer ==> more expensive.

Rating:
Summary: Useful
Review: I bought this book mainly for the annotations of the books and, for me, the theory and application to classroom situations is a bonus. The part I will use the most is the annotation section, where the book is discussed and pointers are given on what types of issues are addressed. Discussion points, always useful for teachers, are carefully addressed for each book. I wish more books could have been included, but, of course, there are trade-offs in that - longer ==> more expensive.

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I was so excited about getting this book for my son. I was looking for books to help him learn about being gifted and different. The book explains the importance of books and gives a comprehensive list of books to get for children. That said, after reading the book, I found that the majority of the books recommended in the book were not available - not through Amazon.com or any other online book seller. Although the book was interesting, it isn't helpful if the books recommended aren't available. That is why I had to rate it as disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: Describes reading needs and books for gifted children
Review: If you have a child who is an avid reader, you need this book. Halsted describes the particular issues for young readers from pre-school through high school who are advanced in reading ability and interests. But the entire last half of this book is truly unique because she summarizes over 300 books where the characters in those books are gifted and talented, and are dealing with issues that are particular ones for gifted children. She then categorizes the books by grade level, and by topic within grade level. The topics include areas such as "Using one's abilities," "Peer relations," "Intensity," "Differentness," etc. and has the topics extremely well indexed so that you can find books that you know your bright reader will enjoy, but also books that may help him or her gain perspective on day-to-day situations. Halsted's background as a teacher, librarian, counselor and parent all show through in this very readable and enjoyable book.

Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: It is wonderful to find a book that helps you guide your child - ANY child, gifted or not - to exceptional reading material. I loved the books it recommended for my 4 yr old - we picked up several of them at the library and some here on Amazon. The book also pointed out what the exceptional qualities for each book were, so that you could have a better discussion about the book with your child. It was worth the money, since it gives recommendations for ALL ages of child and I will reference it as he grows older.

Rating:
Summary: The value of reading guidance such as reading aloud
Review: Now in a revised and updated second edition, Some Of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers From Preschool To High School by educator, librarian, counselor and parent Judith Wynn Halsted is a down-to-earth, imminently practical, thoroughly helpful guide for parents, teachers, librarians, counselors, tutors, and anyone else who works with young people excelling in literary skills and talents. Individual chapters address finding the right books that challenge and enrich a child's joy of reading the most; how books can stimulate emotional and intellectual development; the value of reading guidance such as reading aloud to young children; and much more. Enhanced with an annotated bibliography of almost three hundred books on promoting intellectual and emotional development in children preschool through twelfth grade, Some Of My Best Friends Are Books is highly recommended especially for those teachers, homeschooling parents, and other care givers who are dealing with boys and girls of above average intellect and scholastic promise.

Rating:
Summary: must have
Review: This book is very different from others like The Read-Aloud Handbook by Trelease. It focused on the needs of gifted children, not only for the voracious readers but also for gifted kids that don't read. This is the only bood I read that addressed the issue of gifted non-readers.

Don't be discouraged by the very disappointed review. It was for the early version. Now, books recommended, at least the onces I tried, are available through Amazon.

Rating:
Summary: This book is definitely the best of its kind on the market!
Review: Worried that her gifted child was spending too much time reading by himself, a mother admonished her son to go play outside. "But Mom," he replied, "some of my best friends are books!" Thus the name of this wonderful book which describes the role of books in a child's development, and summarizes the social and emotional needs of the gifted reader. In Part Three of the book, Halsted gives an annotated bibliography of over 300 books, each dealing with issues for gifted children. She then presents a set of easy-to-use indexes of the books by grade level and by topic, as well as by author and title. Topics include aloneness, creativity, differentness, intensity, moral concerns, etc. This book truly is "an excellent resource for selecting the right book to guide a child to better understanding of self and situations," according to the California Association for the Gifted Newsletter, and I agree. It is a must-buy or must-borrow book for the parent of any bright child from kindergarten through high school.