Four six-year-olds and their mothers were observed during the summer prior to starting first grade in a study designed to expand knowledge of the nature of verbal interactions during book reading. All of the children had some knowledge of letters and were making satisfactory progress in reading. The seven or eight observation sessions were taped and an observer noted both verbal and nonverbal communication. Mothers read one book with one to four words on each page and read the comprehension exercise at the end. The coding system was designed to describe both the structure and content of the book reading interaction. The first set of analyses concerned the relative proportions of turns each mother or child took during the book reading interactions. The second aspect of analysis involved ascertaining whether or not the child was just responding to questions or statements from the mother or actually initiating the turn. Attention to print levels was also ascertained. Results showed that the majority of verbal turns by all the mothers focused on the word level, although one mother also focused many of her turns on the letter level. The children also showed differences in their turns, with some being assertive and leading the interaction by either reading outright or by making statements about the text. In all of the homes, there was literacy engagement; and while some children were being directed more than others, the children have all become successful readers, according to their parents' understanding of literacy and their teacher's estimation of a reader. (Tables and references are included, and samples of coded transcripts, a profile of book reading interactions, and a description of awareness responses and print level attention are appended.) (AEW)