Debbie Abilock (1999), the Co-founder of Educational Vision & Content, identified five facts about gifted readers:

1. Gifted readers are skilled, flexible readers who read often;
2. Gifted readers monitor their reading;
3. Linguistically rich texts are especially suited to gifted readers;
4. Gifted readers use other strengths in response to   the   particular demands of the text; and
5. Gifted readers are passionate readers who find books to love.

For gifted readers, finding a book that sparks their interests and contains a character they can relate to is part of the delightful experience of starting a new adventure. However, it’s often difficult to find books that portray strong, female leads who display gifted traits. So, I’ve compiled a list of books that may be of interest to young, gifted female learners. These stories include rich language, complex plots, and female protagonists who are inquisitive problem-solvers. Due to the variability in gifted children’s reading skills and interests, the books are not categorized by age or grade level.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne is a poor orphan who lacks social graces and education; despite this, she has a rich and sophisticated fantasy life and an optimistic and generous spirit. Because Anne acts according to her instincts and not according to a code of manners, she unintentionally defies expectations of proper ladylike behavior.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Meg Murry is a high-school-aged girl who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother and her friend to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from evil forces.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

This is a story of a strong friendship between a farmyard pig named Wilbur and a grey spider named Charlotte. Wilbur is a spring pig, and he is distressed to learn that he is being fattened for slaughter in the fall. Charlotte resolves to save Wilbur.

Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey

Menolly loves music and hopes to live out her musical dreams as an apprentice Harper, but quickly encounters hostility from a number of her male peers and masters. With the help of new friends, teachers, and her nine tiny, colorful dragons, Menolly finds that her musical talents may be stronger than anyone could imagine.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

Twelve-year-old Claudia decides to run away from home with the help of her little brother, Jamie. With Jamie’s money and Claudia’s smarts, they bust out of the suburbs end up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Kira is an extraordinarily talented young girl who finds herself suddenly orphaned and taken to live in a mysterious government compound near the center of her village. There she meets other equally talented and creative children, and together they discover the truth about themselves, their parents, and their society.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Eleven year old Harriet is an aspiring writer who hopes to become a novelist. She keeps a journal filled with her observations about her classmates, friends and the people she sees in her neighborhood every day.

Hild by Nicola Griffith

Hild, the king’s youngest niece, has a glimmering mind, powerful curiosity and a natural, noble authority. She’s born during a time when Britain is experiencing great change as small kingdoms are merging, frequently and violently. She becomes a captivating woman and a pivotal figure of the Middle Ages: Saint Hilda of Whitby.

A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

Mia has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. Forced to reveal her condition, she must look to herself to develop an understanding and appreciation of her gift.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a precocious girl who lives with her mean parents and bratty brother. Ignored at home by her family, she escapes into the wondrous world of reading, exercising her mind so much she develops telekinetic powers.

Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee

Millicent is a certified genius. By age 11, she’s been on TV shows, won the state math bowl, and has been on the Dean’s List every semester in high school. However, she can’t seem to figure out how to make and keep friends and knows she doesn’t have much in common with average kids. All of that changes when her mom enrolls her in a girls’ volleyball program for the summer.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farms by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rebecca is one of seven fatherless children, but is full of fun and strange ideas. She leaves her family at Sunnybrook Farm and goes to live with her two aunts in Riverboro. There she goes to school for the first time, embarks on a madcap scheme to sell soap, nearly runs away, and befriends a kindly stagecoach driver who helps her repair her family’s fortunes.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl, who up until  now has been homeschooled, starts school at Mica High as a tenth grader, where Leo is starting his eleventh grade year. Stargirl’s entrance to school is a big deal for all the students and she immediately causes a commotion with her wacky outfits and even wackier behavior

Saving Lilly by Peg Kehret

Erin and her friend refuse to go on a field trip to the Glitter Tent Circus because of the sad lives of circus animals. Erin is determined to force Mrs. Dawson to change her plans or she’ll stage a sit-in at school. She also discovers that Lilly, a mistreated elephant, is about to be sold to a hunting park. She goes on a quest to save Lilly before it’s too late!

Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary

The enthusiastic Ramona is having a hard time starting first grade. Her teacher can’t seem to understand her and she doesn’t get along with her classmates. She faces quite a few challenges as she tries to make it through the first grade. But, as tough as it is, she is determined to be brave.

Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest by Nancy Springer

Thirteen year old Rosemary is orphaned when her beloved mother dies. She’s grown up among the woodland creatures her mother loved and has never met her father, the outlaw Robin Hood. So she decides to change her name to Rowan, disguise herself as a boy, and undertake a dangerous journey in search of Robin Hood.

Toliver’s Secret by Esther Brady

When her grandfather is injured, 10-year-old Ellen Toliver replaces him on a top-secret patriotic mission. She disguises herself as a boy and manages to smuggle a message to General George Washington.

Yolanda’s Genius by Carol Fenner

After moving from Chicago to Michigan, fifth grader Yolanda, big and strong for her age, is determined to prove that her younger brother is not a slow learner but a true musical genius.

Books have the magical ability to ignite our imagination. They can transport us into an uncharted world and even transform how we see ourselves and the world around us. If you’d like to expand your search for books with gifted characters, here are a few websites to get you started:

Also, if you have a book recommendation, feel free to share them in the comments below!

Resources: Abilock, D. (1999). Librarians and gifted readers:  Myths and facts. Knowledge Quest 27(5), 30–35.

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“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive
” L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

There are many ways to explore and learn new things. One wonderful medium is the podcast. A podcast is an episodic audio program available via the internet. There are many incredible podcasts out there with themes ranging from science, to current events. Some notable programs you are likely to have heard of are This American Life, Radio Lab, and Serial. This week, I would like to share a few podcasts that I think are great for the gifted learner. Please note that, while I have provided a link to each show’s website, you should also be able to find each podcast for free on iTunes.

Get your daily dose of podcast with these tiny scientific expositions that manage to squeeze anecdotes, interviews, and a satisfying amount of information into two minute episodes. Episodes focus largely on biological topics about plants and animals, with occasional episodes rooted in other sciences such as “Is Mars Missing a Moon?” 2-3 min

Aaron’s World is a very cute “adventure” podcast from the imagination of a little boy. Although the narrative structure does not really take off until episode six, each episode features a different dinosaur and some context about its environment. To get context for the whole story it is best to start from the beginning. 2-3 min

A science show for kids, Brains On strives to be engaging and educational. The show is very kid-centric, which is great; however, I do feel that it at times lacks substantial content. Nonetheless, for a younger gifted learner, it may provide them with a space where curiosity is encouraged and celebrated. 30 min

There are 18 episodes of Kids Who Code. Knowing little about the world of coding, some of the concepts went over my head, making it more difficult to evaluate. However, I was so happy to come across a podcast for kids with this topic that I had to include it. 25 min

Physics Central is rich in content and well produced.  The structure of the show follows a typical radio-story-telling format in that there is a narrator providing context for comments from scientists and researchers in the physics world on a given topic. This is an excellent podcast for kids who have a big appetite for science. 25 min

I like this show because it’s unique. Short and Curly is a podcast about ethics. The two Australian hosts ask questions like: “Can you trust a robot?” “Should you eat your pet?”  “Is Dumbledore as great as he seems?” At times the level of reasoning may feel simple to a gifted child, but they do a good job of asking questions that do not have straight answers and therefore are capable of engaging a broad audience of listeners. Kids are encouraged to call in or e-mail, which I like. 20-25 min

Below are a few podcasts that would be well-suited to family listening, or teens due to mature content.

99% Invisible is a podcast about architecture and design. The show explores the power of architecture and the way spaces influence our lives. It is beautifully done and brings new meaning to the environments we spend our lives within. This podcast is produced by Roman Mars, whose Ted Talk on design has over 3 million views.  25 min

FW: Thinking looks into the future of “technology, humanity, and the future.” This podcast covers a wonderful variety of topics and entertains possible outcomes to the way the world is changing. In addition, its website hosts a large library of videos I did not look into myself, but appear very interesting. 45 min

Invisibilia weaves together scientific concepts, input from experts, and the stories of everyday people to explore “the invisible forces that control human behavior.” This show has a tendency to explore some intense human experiences, and thus can be heavy listening for the more empathetic and sensitive among us. 60-70 min

Radio Lab is a downright amazing podcast. Not only is it a wonderful sensory experience but the content is rich, complex, surprising, humorous, and moving. Its “About” page says it best:  “Radiolab is a show about curiosity. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience.” 40 min

The Memory Palace is a historical story telling podcast wherein the narrator explores a place, person, or event and tells a story you probably have not heard before. For such a short show, it leaves a strong impression. 10 min

Other Suggestions: , ,

Please note that I have not listened through every episode of each program. I would recommend that parents look into each podcast before permitting children to listen alone.

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Morgan received a B.F.A in Studio Art from Biola University. She is an interdisciplinary artist committed to cultivating a rich awareness and engagement with the world around her. Morgan is passionate about education and deeply admires ÓĆĂÛÊÓƔ’s commitment to developing the whole person. Over the past five years, Morgan has worked in a number of different educational and administrative roles. Prior to coming to ÓĆĂÛÊÓÆ” she served as a school group docent for The Getty Center and a nanny to a family with a gifted child. She is exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such lovely people and to further ÓĆĂÛÊÓƔ’s meaningful mission.

Be Yourself

“It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world. If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream. But somewhere in the world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber, or a potato pancake.” ― Lemony Snicket, The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story

“Never be ashamed! There’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth bothering with.” – J.K. Rowling

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

You are Unique and Special and Complex; Embrace It

“There’s such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I’m such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn’t be half so interesting.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

You Will Find Your Tribe, and It Will Be Magical

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” – Dr. Seuss

Use Your Talents to Make the World a Better Place

“‘We can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.'” – Madeline L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter

Do Not Be Afraid of Failure or Obstacles

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Live in the Present

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Embrace Life’s Quiet Moments

“In this modern world where activity is stressed almost to the point of mania, quietness as a childhood need is too often overlooked. Yet a child’s need for quietness is the same today as it has always been—it may even be greater—for quietness is an essential part of all awareness. In quiet times and sleepy times a child can dwell in thoughts of his own, and in songs and stories of his own.” – Margaret Wise Brown

Dream Big

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” – C.S. Lewis

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child,
Listen to the Don’ts
Listen to the shouldn’t
The Impossible, the won’ts
Listen to the never haves
Then listen close to me –
Anything can happen child,
Anything can be.”
– Shel Silverstein

“How do we know imagination isn’t just a different way of knowing something? A message from outside.” ― Stephanie S. Tolan, Welcome to the Ark

Listen to Your Heart

“‘Eyes are blind. You have to look with the heart!’” – Antoine de Saint-ExupĂ©ry, The Little Prince

Believe in Yourself

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

What are your favorite lessons from children’s literature? Share in the comment section below.

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