This pilot study addressed tension and anxiety states that may accompany reading readiness training in the kindergarten. Seventy-two children (36 boys and 36 girls) were randomly selected from three urban elementary schools. Six kindergarten classes were included, representing: (1) 2 classes conducting systematic reading programs; (2) 2 classes with regular but informal reading readiness training; and (3) 2 classes with essentially no reading or reading readiness programs in effect. Data gathering included naturalistic observations with time sampling throughout ten weeks and structured interviews in the classroom involving human figure drawings, questionnaires and behavior ratings. Frequency data for the naturalistic observations were analyzed using a factorial design of analysis of variance with schools, classes, and sex of child as factors. Similar analyses were done on weighted scores for human figure drawings and on the rating data for the interview behaviors. Results were mixed, suggesting that relationships between reading readiness training and tension states in the children are masked by the larger questions of teacher effects and more complex developmental factors. (Author/KM)