As a person who has worked in the field of gifted education for 37 years, I thought I knew just about everything I needed to know about the field. But this book by Susan Rakow gave me new insights and ideas to ponder. In the first few chapters, Rakow does a great job of describing the typical developmental challenges that young adolescents face such as the search for identity, the need for more autonomy and independence, and increased interest and focus on peer relationships—and how they intersect with characteristics of gifted kids to potentially thwart achievement and talent development. Middle school educators are typically well versed in the challenges of the adolescent period of development but may not realize how these manifest and can be exacerbated for intellectually gifted students. I found these chapters particularly enlightening. Rakow also draws attention to the special challenges faced by special groups of gifted learners including girls, students of color, and twice-exceptional students. Especially helpful are the passages entitled “Real Schools, Real Solutions” that are interspersed through each chapter, highlighting real-life, practical approaches that schools and districts have taken. There is no shortage of solutions offered by Rakow, based on her own experience as a teacher and a therapist. In the chapters on programming models and curriculum, Rakow offers many examples and specific resources. I especially liked the chapter on differentiation in which she describes what differentiation is and importantly, what it is not—e.g. not more work, not one strategy, not an accommodation, and importantly-- not really happening in schools. I would recommend this book for all middle school educators. I also think it would be very helpful to parents, particularly if they are concerned about keeping their child on track during this critical developmental period. There are few books on this period of development and schooling and this book definitely fills that gap.