Noting that children's perceptions of literacy and of themselves as learners differ from those of adults, this book documents how Sarah, from the ages of 2 to 5 years, understood literacy and invented reading and writing for herself. Numerous reading and writing samples in the book, organized around broad research questions, present Sarah as an inquirer who actively constructs her understanding of literacy and ways to be literate. Chapters in the book are (1) Learning to See; (2) "What Are You Doing with That Written Language?"; (3) "How Can I Read and Write?"; (4) "How Do We Read and Write?"; (5) Sarah in Kindergarten; and (6) Lessons from Sarah. Contains 65 professional references and 20 references to children's literature. (RS)