The Portrayal of Gifted Children in Children's Books.

This review identifies and categorizes 27 contemporary children's or young adult novels in which either the protagonist or one of the major characters is gifted. Books are classified into six categories: (1) books in which giftedness is described as an innate character of the protagonist, but this fact is not a dominating feature of the character or plot; (2) books in which the characters are who they are because they are gifted, but giftedness itself is not an issue; (3) books in which the protagonist or another important character is gifted and that giftedness is a source of some problem or conflict, but giftedness is not the central focus of the book; (4) books in which the perspective of those not recognized as gifted is offered; (5) books in which giftedness is exaggerated for the sake of humor; and (6) books which explicitly focus on giftedness. The list of books analyzed is attached. (DB)