Currents

Infinity and Zebra Stripes

Volume 7 / Issue 4 / Summer 2007

Wendy Skinner’s account of raising her two highly gifted children, Ben and Jillian, in Infinity & Zebra Stripes: Life with Gifted Children (Great Potential, 2007) will be familiar to those parents confronted with similar circumstances. Skinner’s experiences working with teachers and school administrators are documented throughout this text as well as conversations with family and friends about her children’s educational needs.  A mother’s emotions are clearly portrayed during pivotal revelations of her children’s true abilities. When Skinner is told by a psychologist that only about 1 in 100,000 individuals have IQs as high as her son, she comes to realize that his struggle to find same-age peers of his intellect will be more difficult than she imagined. Skinner also shares some of the harsh statements made by others in response to gifted children. For example, a family friend and pediatrician upon hearing about the off-the-chart results of Ben’s IQ test remarked, “You’ll have to be careful he doesn’t get conceited.” Readers will see hints of their own children through the vignettes offered of Ben and Jillian—an inspirational read for parents and teachers alike.  Available from Great Potential Press (www.giftedbooks.com).

—Kristen R. Stephens, PhD