This book is written for kindergarten teachers who are interested in acquainting children with reading, in developing skills in preparation for formal reading, and in guiding those who already can read or who wish to learn to read. Five chapters give the teacher a general structure and specific suggestions for helping children with reading: Chapter 1 provides an historical view of attitudes toward teaching reading before grade one, reviews the related research, and concludes that introducing reading in kindergarten is not an isolated event but should involve changes in the entire school's program; chapter 2 describes the kindergarten child and reports how characteristics could affect teaching strategies; chapter 3 tells how the teacher can foster interest and achievement; chapter 4 gives ideas on how to organize the kindergarten program for individualized instruction; and chapter 5 describes various instructional materials and suggests ways to use them with kindergartners. An appendix listing some of the best of children's literature is included. (MB)