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Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers
Review by Jackie Drummer, WATG Past President
January 2009
Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers, 3rd edition by Judith Wynn Halsted, Great Potential Press, www.giftedbooks.com, ISBN #978-0-910707-96-1, copyright 2009.
Author Judith Wynn Halsted, M.S. is a former director of gifted programs at Pathfinder School in Michigan, and has worked with gifted children as a parent, teacher, librarian and consultant. In the introduction to the third edition of her much loved book, Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers, Halsted asserts that “by reading and discussing well-chosen books with children, adults can encourage youngsters’ optimum development in two areas – emotional and intellectual – through one pleasurable activity: reading.”
Those of us who work with and love gifted children know that they are often voracious readers, and require books that pique their curiosity, cause them to think, and help them navigate the emotional issues that confront gifted learners. Halsted’s book is designed to help adults and children find the optimal match for these intrepid readers.
In part one, “The Children,” Halsted offers background information on the emotional and intellectual development of children of high ability. In part two, “The Process,” she discusses typical reading patterns and the importance of reading guidance, including the use of bibliotherapy (reading to enhance emotional development). In part three, “The Books,” Halsted offers criteria for selecting challenging books for students, as well as annotated bibliographies of hundreds of selections. The bibliography is arranged according to grade level: Preschool (for the very young, two and three years old, and four years old), Early Elementary: Kindergarten to Grade 2, Upper Elementary: Grades 3-5, Middle School: Grades 6-8, and Senior High School: Grades 9-12.
Over the years, I have used this book (in its various editions) with my own children and with my students, and find this updated version has arrived just in time to help guide our 21st century readers. I highly recommend it to educators, librarians and parents who love children and books!
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