Summer plans may not be shaping up the way we had imagined, but that doesn鈥檛 mean that traveling to new and exciting places are off the table. There are no limits to where our minds can take us. No matter where we find ourselves, there is always an opportunity for adventures and self-discovery right at the tip of our fingers!

Summer magic is manifested in books! Let the adventure begin.

Elementary School

Summer by Cao Wenxuan, illustrated by Yu Rong

Readers find out how some of their favorite animals stay cool during the summertime in this whimsical, poetic book. The animals fight until they are inspired by an act of love to offer shade to one another. Through lyrical text from Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Cao Wenxuan, the story comes alive with bright, delicate art from award-winning illustrator Yu Rong.

惭补帽补苍补濒补苍诲&苍产蝉辫;by Pam Mu帽oz Ryan

New York Times best-selling author Pam Mu帽oz Ryan is an American writer for children and young adults, particularly in the multicultural genre. In this magical story, Maximiliano C贸rdoba goes on a dangerous journey armed only with a compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and legends about traveling mythical gatekeepers.

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia, illustrated by Frank Morrison

When his beloved grandfather, the blues man Cool Papa Byrd, dies suddenly, Clayton鈥檚 anger and misplaced alliances get him into trouble. This story of family grief, reconciliation, and the power of music is set in New York City.

Mindy Kim Series By Lyla Lee illustrated by Doug Ho

Lyla Lee’s Mindy Kim series is a heartwarming, authentic look at an 8-year-old girl trying to navigate life in a new state where her Korean heritage makes her stand out., launched in January 2020 with books,  Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade and Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business.

Just in Case You Want to Fly by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Christian Robinson

What do you need for your next adventure? Explore this nurturing tale through colorful pictures and lyrical text. A joyful, inclusive cast of children fly, sing, and wish their way across the pages, with everything they could ever need-a cherry if you need a snack, and if you get itchy here’s a scratch on the back-to explore the world around them.

Middle School

Wink By Harrell Rob

A wrenching and hilarious story about embracing life’s weirdness and surviving an unthinkable diagnosis, based on the author’s own experience with a rare eye cancer. Twelve-year-old Ross Maloy just wants to be normal. Not to have a rare eye cancer, not to lose his hair, not to have to wear a weird hat or have a goopy eye full of ointment. Just normal. 

Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis, illustrated by the author

Cult graphic novelist Dylan Meconis offers a rich reimagining of history in this hybrid novel loosely based on the exile of Queen Elizabeth I by her sister, Queen Mary. As an added bonus Candlewick Press is offering a with Dylan, premiering July 24th .

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Runaway sisters Viji and Rukku end up living on the streets of Chennai, where they find a new family of friends who help them to survive by scavenging the city鈥檚 mountains of rubbish. Penguin Middle School hosts an for added context after reading the book.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

Coyote Sunrise and her dad travel the country in their school bus. Along the way, they meet new friends who help them see their world in a new way and heal from the tragedy that hit their family five years earlier.

High School

Aix Marks the Spot by S.E. Anderson

Jamie has been dreaming of this summer forever: of road trips and intensive art camps, of meeting cute boys with her best friend Jazz. What she didn’t count on was the car accident. Anderson recently took part in , an online two-day event to celebrate and talk about all thinks YA Thriller.

Swing By Kwame Alexander & Mary Rand Hess

Kwame Alexander might be more well known for The Crossover series but these New York Times bestselling authors team up to tell this lyrical story about hope, courage, and love that speaks to anyone who’s struggled to find their voice. And the surprise ending shines a spotlight on the issues related to our current social divide, challenging perspectives and inspiring everyone to make their voice heard.

CIRCE by Madeline Miller

A bold and subversive retelling of the Circe from Homer and the Odyssey. This goddess’s story, a #1 New York Times bestseller. This remarkable journey into mythology brings the ancient gods directly and viscerally into the present. Circe is a perfect mashup of elegant language, glorious storytelling, and exquisitely modern sensibilities. 

American Road Trip By Patrick Flores-Scott

With a strong, loving family, an incredibly loyal best friend, and a budding romance with the girl of his dreams, life shows promise for seventeen-year-old Teodoro 鈥淭鈥� Avila. But he takes some hard hits the summer before his senior year when his nearly perfect brother Manny returns from a tour in Iraq with a devastating case of PTSD.

Adult

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang (Chiang Feng-nan)
This is a perfect example of why science fiction now calls itself speculative fiction. No aliens, no space travel, no dystopias. Only nine mind-stretching tales based on technological or historical hypotheses. From an award-winning science fiction writer (whose short story “The Story of Your Life” was the basis for the Academy Award-nominated movie Arrival), the long-awaited new collection of stunningly original, humane, and already celebrated short stories

The Peanuts Papers: Writers and Cartoonists on Charlie Brown, Snoopy & the Gang, and the Meaning of Life: A Library of America Special Publication By Andrew Blauner (Editor)

This collection offers a delightful range of commentaries, by authors from Umberto Eco to Maxine Hong Kingston, including analyses of Lucy鈥檚 incongruity as a psychiatrist and Snoopy鈥檚 triumphant narcissism, to a Jonathan Lethem parody of Allen Ginsberg鈥檚 鈥淗owl.鈥�

On Looking: A Walker鈥檚 Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Inside of a Dog. Walk as Horowitz did, in the company of observers, from a toddler to a typographer, a diagnostician to an urban designer, a doctor to a sound engineer, your walks will soon exemplify Proust鈥檚 observation,鈥淭he real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.鈥�

The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli

Any writer on physics who鈥檚 praised by novelist John Banville, naturalist Michael Pollan, and actor Benedict Cumberbatch, as well as his professional colleagues, must be exceptional鈥攁nd Rovelli is. He uses analogy, witty diagrams, a sense of drama, and quotations from Horace, Shakespeare, Rilke, and the Grateful Dead to make his explanations of space-time, gravitational fields, and such, as Einstein said 鈥渁s simple as possible, but no simpler.鈥�

If you shop through , Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase to 优蜜视频. through our Amazon Smile link. Let us know which books you will be reading this Summer in the comments below! 

1. Write a poem or story about science.

Get writing! Tell a story about your favorite scientist as dramatically as you can, write poetry about a cool science fact, or describe a feat of engineering using your most vivid vocabulary.

2. Teach your family about something you love.

The best way to learn something deeply is to teach it. Turn your family members into your students and tell them all about something you鈥檝e learned recently whether it鈥檚 how to build the best paper airplane or how a chemical reaction works.

3. Create nature art.

Make a leaf rubbing, stick sculpture, or tower of balanced pebbles to integrate both sides of your brain.

4. Invent something to solve a problem.

What鈥檚 something you wish were easier? Design something to meet a need, starting with a blueprint and working toward a prototype.

5. Test your brain with riddles.

Find challenging riddles on or elsewhere, then attempt to solve them with your family.

6. Head to the library.

Ask a librarian to help you find books about STEAM at your reading level. Reading is a wonderful way to find a new interest!

7. Ask questions.

STEAM is all about asking creative questions and trying to find answers. Observe the world around you and keep a list of questions you come up with throughout the day: How do stoplights work? Why do some trees lose their leaves and not others? Then work with an adult to find the answers.

8. Build something using recycled materials.

Gather items you normally would have thrown away 鈥� packaging, receipts, dried-out pen, etc. 鈥� and see what you can build out of the items!

9. Interview a scientist.

If you were a scientist, what kind of scientist would you be? Research to find someone who has your dream job, then write them a letter or email asking them about their work and how they got to be where they are.

10. See what 优蜜视频 offerings are coming up!

If you鈥檙e local to the Pasadena area, check out our upcoming workshops (7^th-10^th grade), check back for the Spring schedule of classes (K-8^th grade) in a couple of weeks or mark your calendars for when the (10^th-12^th grade) externship program application goes live!

Celebrating a different way? Comment below!

One of my favorite past times is reading.  I love to read, especially travel stories, stories about small-town America, funny stories, classics, fantasies, science fiction, to name a few genres.

I have compiled a list, based on my research from Good Reads, and the public library reading lists, and some of the books that I have read, and read to my children throughout their growing years.  I hope you enjoy and maybe discover a favorite book or author.  That鈥檚 always the fun part. 

Elementary School Level: 

Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung, author and illustrator, Pre-K – Grade 2:

When a Blue and a Yellow fall in love, they create a whole new color and they name her Green.  Green is bright like Yellow and calm like Blue, but really, she鈥檚 her own color. Soon other colors begin to mix and a colorful new world is created.

Grow up, David! By David Shannon, author and illustrator, Grade 1 鈥� 3:

A new adventure in Shannon’s picture book series about a very mischievous boy! This one focuses on David鈥檚 relationship with his older brother, who generally thinks David is a pain. But when David needs help, his brother comes through and allows for a tender moment.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang, Grade 4 鈥� 6:

Mia and her parents, immigrants from China, are excited to have jobs and a place to live when they start managing a motel. But their new boss won鈥檛 make repairs on his building or pay the family what they have earned. In her efforts to improve her English, Mia learns what a well-written letter can do to help her family.

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman, Grade 3 鈥� 8:

Sidman鈥檚 signature poetry and love of nature shine through in this exquisitely researched, highly attractive and entertaining biography of Maria Merian, a revolutionary and groundbreaking 鈥渃itizen-scientist鈥� in the 1600s.

Middle School:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, (The Chronicles of Narnia (Publication Order) #1), by C.S. Lewis

There are a thousand stories in the land of Narnia. In the never-ending war between good and evil, The Chronicles of Narnia set the stage for battles of epic proportions. Some take place in vast fields, where the forces of light and darkness clash. But other battles occur within the small chambers of the heart and are equally decisive.

Journeys to the ends of the world, fantastic creatures, betrayals, heroic deeds and friendships won and lost — all come together in an unforgettable world of magic.  So join the battle to end all battles.

Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry

Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It’s now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are “relocated,” Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen’s life.

Speak: The Graphic Novel, Anderson, Laurie Halse

Melinda enters her freshman year of high school as an outcast after events that took place at a party during the summer. As she is grappling with what happened that night, she attempts to find solace in her art class. Released on the 20th anniversary of the original publication of Speak, Emily Carroll鈥檚 illustrations give a haunting and powerful new visual perspective to this classic novel.

High School

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

The Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression, a book that galvanized鈥攁nd sometimes outraged鈥攎illions of readers. First published in 1939, Steinbeck鈥檚 Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads鈥攄riven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. Out of their trials and their repeated collisions against the hard realities of an America divided into Haves and Have-Nots evolves a drama that is intensely human yet majestic in its scale and moral vision, elemental yet plainspoken, tragic but ultimately stirring in its human dignity. A portrait of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless, of one man鈥檚 fierce reaction to injustice, and of one woman鈥檚 stoical strength, the novel captures the horrors of the Great Depression and probes into the very nature of equality and justice in America. At once a naturalistic epic, captivity narrative, road novel, and transcendental gospel, Steinbeck鈥檚 powerful landmark novel is perhaps the most American of American Classics. Brave New World.

Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier

With precisely 35 canvases to his credit, the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer represents one of the great enigmas of 17th-century art. The meager facts of his biography have been gleaned from a handful of legal documents. Yet Vermeer’s extraordinary paintings of domestic life, with their subtle play of light and texture, have come to define the Dutch golden age. His portrait of the anonymous Girl with a Pearl Earring has exerted a particular fascination for centuries – and it is this magnetic painting that lies at the heart of Tracy Chevalier’s second novel of the same title.

The Sun Is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon

Natasha: I鈥檓 a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I鈥檓 definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won鈥檛 be my story.

Daniel: I鈥檝e always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents鈥� high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store鈥攆or both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson鈥檚 own fascination with science began with a battered old school book he had when he was about ten or eleven years old. It had an illustration that captivated him鈥揳 diagram showing Earth鈥檚 interior as it would look if you cut into it with a large knife and removed about a quarter of its bulk. The idea of lots of startled cars and people falling off the edge of that sudden cliff (and 4,000 miles is a pretty long way to fall) was what grabbed him in the beginning, but gradually his attention turned to what the picture was trying to teach him: namely that Earth鈥檚 interior is made up of several different layers of materials, and at the very centre is a glowing sphere of iron and nickel, as hot as the Sun鈥檚 surface, according to the caption. And he very clearly remembers thinking: 鈥淗ow do they know that?鈥�

Bill鈥檚 storytelling skill makes the 鈥淗ow?鈥� and, just as importantly, the 鈥淲ho?鈥� of scientific discovery entertaining and accessible for all ages. He covers the wonder and mystery of time and space, the frequently bizarre and often obsessive scientists and the methods they used, and the mind-boggling fact that, somehow, the universe exists and against all odds, life came to be on this wondrous planet we call home.

Adults:

The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyereson

When Miranda鈥檚 once beloved, then estranged uncle Billy unexpectedly passes away, he leaves her two things: his struggling Los Angeles bookstore and one last scavenger hunt like the ones he would organize for her in her youth. But this time the stakes are high; each clue uncovers family secrets buried far too long.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Keiko Furukura marches to the beat of her own drummer. Or rather, to the music of her own convenience store. She may not have any idea how to function in the outside world, but she is completely in her element at the conbini where she has worked for 18 years. Her friends and family, however, all think there鈥檚 something wrong with her, so she resolves to find her own cure.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

When Sabrina Nielsen arrives at the restaurant to celebrate her 30th birthday, she is astonished to find the people from her 鈥渄inner list鈥� (any five people, living or dead, you would invite to dinner) seated at the table for an evening none of them will forget. This is a charming, heart-warming and heart-breaking book about how it feels to be young and what we lose, and gain, as we become adults.

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The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey

鈥淒uring a time when I needed some inspiration in my life, this book, and the conversations Oprah shares, provided great insight into life lessons that some of the most brilliant leaders and visionaries have learned throughout their lifetime. I felt like a fly on the wall as I read through chapters about mindfulness, intention, fulfillment, love and connection.鈥� 鈥� Ni帽a Abonal, Senior Program Coordinator

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

鈥�The Great Alone explores a wild and sparsely populated Alaska in the 1970鈥檚, when a Vietnam War veteran moves his wife and 13-year-old daughter from Seattle to the very rugged frontier of Alaska to begin anew away from city life and war memories.听 The book is an insider鈥檚 examination of the harsh realities and lush beauty of life in Alaska that I knew little about, set against a troubled family鈥檚 story of survival over the course of several decades. The book deals with adult themes but is well-plotted with engaging characters.鈥� 鈥� Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

The Things They Carried by Tim O鈥橞rien

鈥淚 reread The Things They Carried every year. To me, no other work so perfectly captures the camaraderie that exists under the most trying, confusing and challenging circumstances. Though fiction, it is grounded in historical truth and humbling to imagine what these characters went through so far from home. O鈥橞rien doesn鈥檛 mince words, but his descriptions have a gripping gentleness that makes you feel more than think. I get lost in each vignette that eventually weaves together into a larger narrative.鈥� 鈥� Hillary Jade, Program Manager

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

鈥淎 unique coming-of-age story that follows Eva (and the food she loves) from birth through adulthood, told almost exclusively through the viewpoints of those she encounters along the way. It would be accurate to say I devoured this book. Not only was Eva鈥檚 journey compelling, but the vivid descriptions of the food that defines each stage of her life made me want to host my own elaborate, biographical feast. A great read for fiction lovers and foodies alike.鈥�-Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

鈥淚 had read A Walk in the Woods but never thought to pick up another Bryson book until this one was recommended by another 优蜜视频 staff member. This travel book about Bryson鈥檚 journey through Australia is a delightful cross between a page-turning beach read and informative historical commentary. I found myself laughing even while learning about the ecology, anthropology, history, geography and culture of this fascinatingly unique continent. You may even end up moving Australia up on your list of travel destinations!鈥�-Nicole Endacott, Program Coordinator

The Revenge of Geography by Robert D. Kaplan

鈥淭hough dense in historical examples, this book shows how many of our current tensions鈥攆rom the Syrian Civil War to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions鈥攕tem from monolithic geographical features. I particularly enjoyed the last two chapters, where Kaplan points at America’s demographic transition and concludes that geography, more often than not, determines the fate of nations.听鈥�-Mark Blekherman, 优蜜视频 EXPLORE Extern

Want more book recommendations? Check out what we were enjoying in ,听听补苍诲听.

What books have you been enjoying this summer? Let us know in the comments!

Like this post?听听to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.

While certain tasks or assignments may come easier for gifted students, it does not mean that they do not struggle or have setbacks. In many cases, due to the very high expectations gifted students set for themselves, they can face even greater challenges than other students. It is also a misconception that gifted students have a clear path set out for their future from a young age. Thus, it is important for these advanced learners to be able to read accounts of the challenges (academically and personally), inspirations and ultimately, triumphs of some the worlds鈥� most influential people.

Here鈥檚 a list of inspiring books about individuals who have made contributions in the areas of science, technology, literature and music:

Bill Gates is the co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation and philanthropist.

Book: Who is Bill Gates? (2013)听 by Patricia Brennan Demulth (author) and Ted Hammond (illustrator) details how a persistent and gifted young boy from Seattle became one of the leading entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. For younger readers.

Joshua Bell is an acclaimed violinist who made his听听debut at age 17 with the听. He has since performed with many of the world’s major orchestras and conductors and has recorded more than 30 classical albums.

Book: The Dance of the Violin (2017) by听听(author) and 听(illustrator) tells the story of a young Joshua Bell who challenges himself to play a difficult听 piece of music at an international competition. During the performance he makes a mistake, but garners the courage to start again and put forth his best effort.听 For younger readers.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez was a Columbian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist affectionately known as Gabo or Gabito. He won the Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1982 and is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century.

Book: My Name is Gabito (2007) by Monica Brown (author) and Raul Colon (illustrator) beautifully chronicles Gabriel Garcia Marquez鈥檚 life from his childhood in Columbia to his later years as a celebrated author.听 For younger readers.

Sally Ride Ph.D was an American听physicist听补苍诲听astronaut. In 1983 she became the first U.S. woman to go into space.

Book: Sally Ride: America鈥檚 First Woman in Space (2014) by听听recounts the story of the woman who broke gender barriers at NASA and went on to found Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting STEM literacy for young people. For teens and above (LGBT issues discussed).

Jane Goodall is a primatologist and听anthropologist. Considered to be the world’s foremost expert on听chimpanzees, she is best known for her over 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania.

Book: Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man (2008) by Dale Peterson details the triumphs and setbacks of Goodall鈥檚 life, including the private quest that led to her now-famous activism. For teens and above.

Carl Sagan Ph.D was an astronomer, writer, and creator of the television series, Cosmos that helped popularize science.

Book: Carl Sagan: A Life in the Cosmos (1999) by William Poundstone recounts the life of a gifted young man whose interest in the stars and life on other planets propelled him to become science’s first authentic media superstar, making science accessible to the general public. For teens and above.

You can find more inspiring role models in the book, , Maurice E. Fisher Ph.D & Eugenia M. Fisher, Ed.D, Editors and Michael E. Walters, Ed.D & Harry T. Roman, M.S., Senior Writers.

Tell us who inspires you by sending your own book recommendations!

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鈥淏yrdseed is all about better understanding our gifted learners. Stick around and you鈥檒l learn how to differentiate lessons, teach across the content areas, and appreciate gifted kids鈥� unique social and emotional needs.鈥�

鈥淚 am Vi Hart! I am a real person, and I make videos and virtual reality and other things. Sorry about the bright yellow. It amuses me. This is my personal website, not some 鈥榁i Hart brand Websperience鈥� created for your enjoyment or education or whatever.鈥�

鈥淏ASIC-256 is an easy to use version of BASIC designed to teach anybody (especially middle and high-school students) the basics of computer programming. It uses traditional control structures like gosub, for/next, and goto, which helps kids easily see how program flow-control works. It has a built-in graphics mode which lets them draw pictures on screen in minutes, and a set of detailed, easy-to-follow tutorials that introduce programming concepts through fun exercises.鈥�

鈥淭he Kid Should See This is a growing library of smart & super-cool, 鈥榥ot-made-for-kids, but perfect for them鈥� videos that can be watched in the classroom or together at home. Enjoy 8-12 new vids each week, and search 3,000+ videos in the archives, curated by me, Rion Nakaya, with help from my 6 & 9 year olds.鈥�

鈥淭ED-Ed is TED鈥檚 youth and education initiative. TED-Ed鈥檚 mission is to spark and celebrate the ideas of teachers and students around the world.鈥�

The series was specifically recommended.

鈥淚n an age where everything seems to have been explored and there is nothing new to be found, we celebrate a different way of looking at the world. If you’re searching for miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper, the Atlas Obscura is where you’ll find them.鈥�

鈥淐overing the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.鈥�

鈥淭he School of Life is a place that tries to answer the great questions of life. We believe in developing emotional intelligence. We are based online and in 12 physical hubs around the world, including London, Melbourne, Istanbul and Seoul.鈥�

鈥淢ensa for Kids offers a variety of online resources for exceptionally bright youth.鈥�

鈥淕iftedness: Everything parents, educators, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and gifted children & teens need to know, including articles and research.鈥�

What would you add to the list?

Like this post?听听to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.

Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon

“The book takes off from the old adage about an apple not falling far from the tree. Each chapter focuses in tremendous detail on parents whose offspring is very different from them鈥攃overing everything from children who are deaf or blind being born to hearing/sighted parents; adopted children; children with different sexual orientations from their parents; children who are prodigies with 鈥渙rdinary鈥� parents and all of the ramifications of living with and raising offspring who are so very different from their parents.” – Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

The Leavers by Lisa Ko

“This book follows the story of Deming, an eleven-year-old New Yorker and the son of undocumented Chinese immigrant Polly. One day, Polly goes to her job at a nail salon and never returns. Eventually, Deming is placed into foster care and adopted by an older couple upstate who rename him Daniel. A beautifully told story of a young man’s journey to reclaim his lost past and find identity while stuck between two worlds.” – Nicole LaChance, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Hotel Bemelmans by Ludwig Bemelmans

“Ludwig Bemelmans is the well known author of the Madeline children鈥檚 book series.听 He was also a gourmand, and occasionally illustrated covers for the New Yorker magazine.听 Very few people know that he came from a family of hoteliers, and thus started his career in the hotel business, albeit, not a very successful one.听 This book is a compilation of 24 tales, two of them never before published, about his adventures in fictional Hotel Splendide, possibly a stand in for the Ritz.听 听His stories are very descriptive and humorous, full of colorful and interesting characters; and accompanied by 73 original and delightful drawings.” – Anvi Kevany, Administrative Assistant

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

“I picked up this story after my husband, who typically doesn鈥檛 enjoy long-form fiction, announced that this book had converted him to the novel. (This comment pretty much made my entire summer.) 听Next thing I know I am sitting in the airport on my way home from Yunasa West, fifty pages in and balling my eyes out surrounded by of a restaurant full of people. Needless to say, this book is just beautiful. Baldwin tells his story with power and great human sensitivity. Go Tell it on the Mountain is a semi-autobiographical story is about a boy named John living in 1930鈥檚 Harlem, his family, and his church. It is an important book and a must read.” – Morgan Carrion, Assistant to the President

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Malantes

“It听is pretty gritty, but it鈥檚 the best novel I鈥檝e (ever) read about the Vietnam War written by a 听decorated combat Marine.” – Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman听

“Tom and Isabel live a solitary life in a lighthouse in remote Australia. One day a boat with a dead man and a live baby washes ashore and they are forced to make a decision that will change their lives forever. This book kept me guessing right until the end and does an excellent job at showing that most big decisions are not black and white, but shades of gray.” – Nicole LaChance, Marketing and Communications Coordinator听

Want more book recommendations? Check out what we were enjoying in and .

What have you been enjoying this summer?

Like this post?听听to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.

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听听 the听听 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥橢ngle

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鈥檚 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鈥檛 seem to figure out how to make and keep friends and knows she doesn鈥檛 have much in common with average kids. All of that changes when her mom enrolls her in a girls鈥� 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听 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鈥檚 too late!

Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary

The enthusiastic Ramona is having a hard time starting first grade. Her teacher can鈥檛 seem to understand her and she doesn鈥檛 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鈥檚 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鈥檇 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:听 Myths and facts. Knowledge Quest 27(5), 30鈥�35.

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On The Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks

鈥淚 have the New York-based podcast, Radiolab, to thank for my fascination and love of the late neurologist and author, Oliver Sacks. In On The Move, Sacks continues to draw in the reader with his unique marriage of narrative and neuroscience, story-telling and scientific oddities. Under the microscope this time: retrospectives from his own life and tales of his ongoing obsession with the complexities of human life and the brain. Sacks is a great read for the humanities-based learner who finds science curious but often hard to comprehend.鈥� 鈥� Brianna Safe, Resource Coordinator

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

鈥淭his memoir is a powerful and beautiful meditation on grief and mourning. Written after the severe sickness of her daughter and subsequent sudden loss of her husband, Didion shares her personal story of learning to adjust to life as a widow and reflects on both the good and bad times in her marriage. I love its rawness and honesty about the harsh realities of life and loss.鈥� 鈥� Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Love in a Dish by M.F.K. Fisher

鈥淎 collection of articles from the gourmet food writer about life and food and how it connects with the heart.鈥� 鈥� Zadra Rose Iba帽ez, Director of Operations

Tuesdays with Morrie听by Mitch Albom

鈥淚 picked up this book just before Yunasa West. It鈥檚 a short book, but the stories are filled with wisdom and love. A dying professor teaches his student how to live and be mindful of the present. The lessons and reflections in the book send an important yet blissful message to us all.鈥� 鈥� Qiao Li,听Coordinator

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

鈥淚t is an extremely moving story about a Dominican boy and his family in living New Jersey. So far, reading this story has felt like a warm and brutally honest encounter with American culture, Latin ethos and the human experience.听 The writing is dynamic and just downright wonderful. I would highly recommend it.鈥� 鈥� Morgan Carrion, Assistant to the President

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

鈥淚n David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks. Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy those many years ago. I heartily recommend this book for students and parents within our 优蜜视频 community, as Gladwell鈥檚 research is impeccable, and this subject has tremendous resonance and bandwidth for the people we work with.鈥� 鈥� Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

Harry Potter Series听by听J.K. Rowling

鈥淚 just finished listening to all seven Harry Potter books on Audible. It has been seven or eight years since I finished reading the series, and listening to them was entirely pleasurable.鈥� 鈥� Jennifer de la Haye,听Program Coordinator

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

鈥淚 love biographies! This true story of a young Pakistani girl who fought for women鈥檚 right to education when it was taken away by the Taliban is truly inspiring. Malala Yousafzai survived being shot in the head on her way to school and turned this horrific incident into a rallying cry for the plight of women in the region and the fundamental right for everyone to have an education.听 Malala is a not only a role model for young girls, but for all of us鈥攄emonstrating that one person can make a difference.鈥� 鈥� Kelly Gray, Administrative Assistant

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur鈥檚 Court by Mark Twain

鈥淎n old favorite that seems lighthearted at first glance (a man displaced in time amazes the locals with his knowledge of future technology), but uses its premise to explore some of the most disturbing societal problems of Mark Twain鈥檚 day. This novel is a vastly entertaining read (with a clearly gifted protagonist, no less) and an ending that encourages each of us to reflect on how we shape history.鈥� 鈥�Ellen Gruber, Development Coordinator

惭辞濒辞办补鈥檌 by Alan Brennert

鈥淗istorical fiction that is both informative and engaging. Brennert uses the fictional story of Rachel, a young Hawaiian girl suddenly struck by leprosy, to explore the very real world of a turn-of-the-century Hawaiian leprosy colony, where patients are sent to live out the rest of their days in isolation from their families and the rest of society. The story was captivating and motivated me to learn more about this little-known part of history.鈥� 鈥� Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communication Coordinator

End of Watch by Steven King

鈥淭his is the final volume in a trilogy focusing on Brady Hartsfield, perpetrator of the Mercedes Massacre, where eight people were killed and many more badly injured, who has been in a prison clinic for five years in a vegetative state. According to his doctors, anything approaching a complete recovery is unlikely. But behind the drool and stare, Brady is awake and in possession of deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room. Having met Mr. King and worked on several Steven King novels that were made into television miniseries in my former career鈥擨t, TheStand and Storm of the Century鈥擨 am an unabashed fan of Steven King鈥檚 brilliance as a storyteller and a plot wizard. Not for young readers.鈥� 鈥� Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

Dracula by Bram Stoker

鈥淚鈥檓 listening via Audible, as performed by Alan Cummings, Tim Curry, et al. It鈥檚 interesting to hear the original story, as told through letters and diary entries from all the characters.鈥� – Zadra Rose Iba帽ez, Director of Operations

What is your favorite summer book?

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Razel Solow, Ph.D. and Celeste Rhodes, Ph.D. turn the chief criticism of early college entrance–that early entrance inhibits healthy social development–on its head in College at 13: Young, Gifted and Purposeful (Great Potential Press, 2012). Their book is centered on a longitudinal study of fourteen women who entered Mary Baldwin College鈥檚 Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG) between the ages of 13 to 16. Dr. Rhodes, who had been the Assistant, Associate and Executive Director of PEG, began the study supported by a grant from the Malone Family Foundation. When poor health precluded her from continuing her work, Dr. Rhodes invited Dr. Solow to finish the project. Dr. Solow is the former director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Education at Hunter College.

Rhodes鈥檚 and Solow鈥檚 case study materials stretch from birth into well-formed adult lives. Pseudonymously presented, the PEG graduates share their stories in detail. The reasons they entered PEG offer important insights into the life of a gifted girl in middle school. Many scholarly publications on the development of gifted children precede College at 13, but Rhodes and Solow stay away from normed studies. Instead, they stay with their subjects鈥� voices and let these fourteen women describe the world of giftedness. The women share stories of being isolated, confused, humiliated, and slapped. The authors spare nothing.

Grounded in this detail, Solow and Rhodes make the case that socialization and social development ought not be confused. Socialization, the art of joining a group, can be an impossibility if the group is fundamentally hostile. The middle school years, when students turn away from their families and toward their peers, present a painful choice: give up your passions, conform, and be included; or not. Beyond fellow students, the girls鈥� teachers are a mixed bag, some supportive and some clearly destructive. The consequences of socialization denied include social development inhibited. Echoing her fellow PEGs, Julia says, 鈥淣ot caring about what everyone thinks is one thing, but feeling okay about being different is something else.鈥�

Supportive parents are the heroes of the book, and Solow and Rhodes get to the parents鈥� stories straightaway. It takes a special kind of mother and father to move a thirteen-year-old daughter onto a college campus. Words describing home life with these parents include 鈥減eace,鈥� 鈥渢rust,鈥� and 鈥渟eriousness.鈥� Over and over the parents talk about how they want their daughters to pursue their dreams and interests. Comparing these students to a study of 81 class valedictorians in Illinois, Solow and Rhodes observe that there are important differences between parents who want their children to succeed and parents who want their children to grow. Identifying those parents and the support they have given, and likely will give, is crucial in making radical acceleration work.

And what happens twenty years or so later? These students have remarkably unremarkable lives. To be sure, most of them continue as students (eight Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Fine Arts degree holders, and one in progress; one lawyer; one Ph.D. and one in progress; one M.D. in progress). But they don鈥檛 speak of isolation and feeling different, even when they are different. One young woman entered law school at eighteen and surprised her classmates when everyone went to a bar and she couldn鈥檛 order a drink. She was confident, they were respectful, and the evening rolled on. Other alumnae describe the nuts and bolts of everyday life: putting a bed in an office because of fibromyalgia; struggling to come out to a father; juggling her desire to build a woodworking business and her promise to finish her parents鈥� kitchen remodeling. These details are small, sometimes humorous, and very reassuring. Being denied normalcy in their mid-teens, these women are having typical, mostly stable and happy, ordinary adult lives.

Two clear advantages of radical acceleration for women emerge. First, they have more time to complete their educations and build careers before they start families. For a number of women, there is a new dimension to balancing career and family development. The challenge for some women, especially working in professions which require lengthy educations and apprenticeships, is finding the point at which to divide a career between working long hours and working with flexibility once professional credentials are in place. Radical acceleration adds years to early career building. Second, being younger at graduation means the women have 鈥渆xtra time as a bonus, not as a launching pad for another round of running ahead.鈥� It struck me that these bonus years can be transferred years. Skipping over high school moves years that can be destructive and esteem-busting into post-college years better lived because the whole self is more formed. Social development is a lifelong affair.

College at 13鈥檚 shortcoming is that these are successful entrants and graduates of radical acceleration. Rhodes鈥檚 and Solow鈥檚 fourteen PEG alumnae are among twenty handpicked by Mary Baldwin鈥檚 administration. Did everyone鈥檚 story go so well? What about the students who dropped out of PEG, or struggled with their youthfulness after graduation? And are all successes Mary Baldwin graduations? Several years ago I worked with a young woman who attended PEG for one year, 鈥渂ecause I needed a break from high school.鈥� Feeling better about herself, she was ready to return to high school.

Solow and Rhodes do us all a favor by shining light on a subject that can arouse passions without understanding. We talk often about supporting the whole gifted child. What exactly does radical acceleration offer the whole gifted adult? Not every gifted child is a good candidate for radical acceleration. Not every gifted child is a good candidate for high school. College at 13 contributes to understanding the differences.

Kate Duey is a private college counselor serving gifted students. She has worked with students who are age-mates with their graduating high school class, home schooled students, community college students, and students seeking accelerated or early college entrance. Kate is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School. She has a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA. She also has three incredible daughters.

Kate will be speaking about college selection and admissions for gifted students at 优蜜视频’s next parent meeting on March 30th. Register for this free event here (the event has since ended).

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