TEST YOUR CHILD'S I.Q.

Serebriakoff works with MENSA, Langer is a psychologist, and their spiral-bound book is both test administration manual and a brief on the needs--and frequent neglect--of gifted children. Although ostensibly objective, they have an axe to grind against those who question indiscriminate (or, in some cases, any) I.Q. testing, and their simplistic characterization of the opposition pervades the text. Aiming at parents uneasy with their child's school performance, they explain the development, purposes, and limitations of I.Q. testing--psychology, like meteorology, is an inexact science--and try to anticipate those who would misuse the test in pernicious ways. And they encourage consultation with professionals for exceptionally high or low scores or for scores significantly discrepant with expectations. But how explain the intermittent references to a child as ""it""? (""Reassure the child by telling it to take its time in studying the questions so it will have confidence in its answer."") Brusque in delicate areas (retardation, autism), glib and condescending overall.