I think I found the book helpful because of its profiles of different types of underachievement -- including the child or young adult with imposter syndrome, who thinks s/he couldn't really be as smart as the tests say, and panics when presented with challenging material.
I think the other replies above provided good resources for looking at specific LD issues -- I thought it might be helpful to look at some possible emotional issues that might play into what Jake is experiencing.
As for her solutions --- I've pulled out the ones I think might stand a chance with my child. I'm actually applying _some_ of her advice right now. I'm insisting that my child learn boring old math facts, and I'm just having him sit down at a desk or table and figuring out how to memorize them on his own. Previously, I would hover over every bit of homework and wonder why he couldn't seem to get the work done on his own. I realized I need to sit back and let him develop study skills on his own and develop confidence in his ability.
Also, I realized that her advice not to respond to "dependent" (in her terminology) kids with negative reinforcement was probably right on track, looking back and realizing that those negative reinforcements never seem to work with my son. Reading the book helped me to identify the "dependent" behavior and the ways I was reinforcing it.
I've also been trying to emphasize the importance of effort, not just intelligence. I'll let you know how it goes!
