To determine parents' perceptions of their children's behaviors toward their favorite books, 15 parents of 4- and 5-year-old children were interviewed about behaviors that occur when they share a favorite book with their children, why they think the book is special to their children, and the pool of available books from which the favorite was chosen. Responses were coded according to naturally occurring categories. The findings indicated that the children participated in many emergent reading behaviors when sharing favorite books, that the books had deep meanings and special relevance to the children, that interaction between parent and child--apart from the reading of the text--was an extremely important part of the activity, that children responded to illustrations and to participatory qualities the books had, and that, for a few children, factors external to the book itself played a role in its importance. Descriptions of the pool of available books indicated that the children had chosen their favorite from a very large group of books that were geared toward their personal needs and interests. (Appendixes include the letters to parents, an interview summary, and a list of the favorite books.) (HOD)