The Unopened Gift is a picture book that acts as an allegory for underachieving gifted students. In the book a child is presented with a gift but offers excuses for why she cannot open it. These excuses are the same reasons why many gifted students do not work up to their potential. This is a book that can be read in order to spark a discussion with either parents, students, or teachers about underachievement and what can be done to help students reach their potential. This picture book is in conjunction with the book When Smart Kids Underachieve: Practical Solutions for Teachers from Prufrock Press.