Inside: Do you see that gifted student in the corner of your class? They either are so engrossed in a book that they have no idea what the heck is going on, or they’re creating something unique out of the paper clip you left on the floor. That’s the one. Actually, we’re even talking about the autonomous learner who is sitting at the front of your classroom paying close attention and the under-motivated kid with their head laying on the desk. This diverse YA book list targets different kinds of gifted students.
Full disclosure: For your browsing convenience, I have included Amazon Associate links at no additional cost to you. If I sell a book through the link, I receive a few pennies with which to build my classroom library. #readallthebooks
The Label: Gifted
If you’re new to the world of education, the term gifted may catch you off guard and ruffle your feathers – it surprised me at first. My immediate response was, “Aren’t all kids gifted and talented?” They absolutely are. There is just not a super great way to identify those students who need more than the state mandated curriculum in order to learn. It’s an academic need.
Why does this label matter? Just like At-risk or Special needs labels allow students access to the curriculum through modifications and accommodations, GT provides challenging materials for students who need it to learn. Again, it’s an academic necessity, not an award or trophy.
Some teachers envision gifted students as the well behaved student sitting on the front row giving all the answers all the time. Such common misconceptions ignore what research shows about the needs of students with gifted abilities. They often struggle with social emotional learning, lack of resiliency or motivation, overexcitabilities, and many may live with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Like all of our students they are individuals with unique needs.
Because of the difference in academic and social emotional needs, it is our job to help provide gifted middle schoolers with access to literature that meets them where they are. Representation matters, so offer diverse reads in your classroom! (That’s an entirely different post.)
For more book suggestions, check out my post on mentor texts!
What Makes the Books Work?
Although there isn’t a magic formula for finding books for gifted middle schoolers, I will share what I know. The following recommendations come straight from my 6th and 7th grade GT classroom. These are books that gifted students have recommended, bonded with, or I have read with them.
There are countless above lexile/grade level options for higher level readers, but the following YA books focus more on identifying with gifted students and their needs.
Here’s what has worked for me:
- Authentic and dynamic characters
- Complex plot line and/or complex emotions explored
- Characters who are different or are themselves gifted
- Humor – be it sarcasm, puns, or situational irony, GT students tend to enjoy a good laugh.
What also works is giving students a process to analyze the text. My S.I.F.T.T. foldable provides a template that can be used with any book, poem, or short story.
Books For Gifted Middle Schoolers
Sparrow – By Sarah Moon
- This book follows a young girl who struggles with social anxiety and how to cope with loss and change. Perfect for social emotional learning, Sparrow encourages readers toward compassion and empathy.
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie – By Jordan Sonnenblick
- This heart wrenching book follows 8th grader, Steven, through the journey of watching his 4 year old brother battle cancer. He experiences the 5 stages of grief, which helps readers explore what it means to face challenges. Filled with witty sarcasm, this book will make your savvy readers smile.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
- I read the first section (The Reader of Books) to my GT classes. It helps normalize their experience of being advanced in their thinking. More importantly, Matilda teaches resiliency, which we know can be a struggle for some gifted middle schoolers.
The Giver by Lois Lowry (Including the additional books in The Giver Quartet)
- Jonas lives in a seemingly perfect community, and he is not like everyone else. His differences cause a tension between what leadership says and what he actually believes. GT students may identify with the feeling of being different than their peers, and this quartet presents the differences as strengths.
Counting By Sevens – By Holly Goldberg Sloan
- Willow Chance is astute and caring. She faces seemingly endless challenges, but she persists. Her point of view will make GT kids chuckle and sometimes cringe. While the plot has some intense situations, it shows struggle and perseverance.
Out of My Mind – By Sharon M. Draper
- While Melody is GT, she isn’t like other GT students. She can’t talk. Cerebral Palsy traps her brilliant thoughts inside her body, and the school system only makes it worse. This is her journey of belonging, growing, and thriving.
Divergent (Including other books in the series) – By Veronica Roth
- The main character, Tris, lives in a divided world. Everyone identifies with a faction, except her. She struggles to find her place and fight for truth, justice, and understanding.
Code Orange – By Caroline B. Cooney
- Mitty Blake is undermotivated and lazy until he comes into contact with Small Pox scabs. Uncertain about the consequences of his discovery, he posts online and seeks advice. Instead, he finds himself trapped in the world of chemical warfare.
A Wrinkle in Time – By Madeleine L’engle
- Madeleine L’engle’s classic good versus evil novel will captivate students who have a strong sense of justice. The complex ideas of time travel, physics, and multi-dimensional exploration will capture the minds of GT readers.
Nonfiction Selections –
As always, encouraging students to pursue nonfiction texts of their interest level is the most effective way to encourage literacy. The following nonfiction books showcase gifted learners.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind – By William Kamkwamba and Bryon Mealer
- William Kamkwamaba is a real-life amazing example of growth mindset, which GT students sometimes struggle with. Growing up in Malawi Africa, Willam used a local library to teach himself physics and bring light and life back to his family.
Malala The Powerful: How One Girl Stood Up For Education – By Malala Yousafzai
- Malala shows bold courage in the face of unbelievably violent circumstances. Her fight for equal access to education and survival helps show the value of brave leaders using their gifts to benefit others.
Quiet: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids – By Susan Cain
- This book is powerful for students who are gifted and introverted. (Side note, there is a high correlation between introverts and giftedness) Help empower your quiet students to utilize their enormous strengths.
Like always, there isn’t a one size fits all solution to finding just the right book to match your students’ needs. However, we can educate ourselves on what is out there and make sure students are discussing and inferring the social emotional learning we can help make this explicit by teacher them strategies to analyze.
One tool I enjoy using with my GT students is this S.I.F.T.T. foldable to help show students a process for literary analysis. Your advanced students will take this process and run!
You may also enjoy my post on short stories for your secondary classroom!