Gifted Children at Home - A Practical Guide for Homeschooling Families
Authors: Janice Baker, Kathleen Julicher and Maggie Hogan
Publisher: Bright Ideas Press
For more information or to order: www.brightideaspress.com

Have you wondered - or perhaps you already know - if you have an intellectually gifted child?  Written from a Christian perspective, Gifted Children at Home provides guidance and practical advice from three moms who have experienced the challenges and joys of raising a gifted child. 

Gifted Children at Home begins by providing some assessment tools to aid parents in determining if their child is gifted and then guides the reader through a process of deciding if homeschooling is the best option for their child.  The rest of the book focuses on a variety of academic and parenting topics.  I found the chapters "Acceleration and Grade Skipping" and "Tips You Can Use" to be especially helpful.  It was encouraging to know that it is okay to skip some material in a general textbook.  I had been looking for accelerated textbooks but I never really found any. Instead, Gifted Children at Home gave me the confidence to basically structure my own "gifted" curriculum.  In addition to more traditional academics, the authors have also included information on using outside activities, encouraging each child's unique learning style and the benefits of using apprenticeships.  The only minor weakness I found was a lack of information on the social aspect of homeschooling a gifted child.

As a first year homeschooler with a gifted child, Gifted Children at Home has been invaluable to me.  With lots of practical tips, insight and encouragement, it has given me the confidence to be creative in my homeschooling approach.  I would highly recommend this resource to anyone homeschooling an exceptionally bright or gifted child.

Making the grade: A
Cost: $24.95
Value for your homeschool dollar: 10
Reviewed by Paige McMillan, Homeschool mom of 2