A study determined whether reading aloud to children before entering school would influence their reading grade level as determined by their report card grade. Subjects, 85 first-grade children in a suburban school district in central New Jersey, took surveys home to be completed by parents. Results indicated that: (1) those children who were read to before entering first grade received a "C" or better in reading; (2) reading aloud was a shared responsibility between parents; and (3) the majority of reading occurs in the evening. Findings suggest that parents are actively engaged in reading aloud to their children and that such activity is beneficial and advantageous for the child. (Contains 31 references and 9 tables of data; the letter to parents and the survey instrument are attached.) (RS)