One year after they had participated in the validation of the Estes Reading Attitude Scale, 75 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders were asked to respond to and comment on the questions in an interview situation. Thirty-six of these students had scored low on the attitude inventory but high on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills; 39 had scored high on the attitude inventory but low on the Iowa Test. Responses to the nine items that yielded the most information were anlayzed. Responses from both groups of students could be grouped into identical categories, with high interrater reliability. The students in the low-attitude/high-performance group had more-specialized interests and viewed reading as a necessity for learning and as an avenue for gaining new information. More students in the high-attitude/low-performance group viewed reading pragmatically, as a necessity in everyday life situations, such as reading signs and directions. Overall, the results were interpreted as indicating that such interviews can give valuable insights into children's attitudes toward reading, which can help teachers plan effective reading programs for their students. (AA)