Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Gifted learners and the library

I am a subversive library aide at our school. I've helped with K-2 for the last several years. I understand limiting them to certain parts of the library for the first few weeks while they are getting used to things. After the first few weeks, if a kid comes and asks for something that is not in the reading circle area (picture books and easy readers), I either grab the book for them or accompany them to that section - I'm not about to carry over all of the Magic Treehouse books! I quickly get a reputation with the kids as the lady who will let you get "big kid" books.

I hate when I hear the librarian say that that probably isn't a "just right" book. I know that the librarian doesn't believe that some of these kids read these things but I talk to them. Some of them do read them and some of them have parents or older siblings who read the books to them. As the parent of a 2e kid, I get super frustrated by the attitude that I child shouldn't have access to a book that they can't read themselves. If the child is interested in the book that is a stretch, aren't they more likely to work with an adult to access the content? I always tell the kids that if the book ends up being harder than they thought, they always can bring it back early.