Noting that the questions of when and how to teach beginning reading are among the most controversial in early childhood education, this chapter examines how young children develop as readers. The chapter begins with a focus on the emergent literacy perspective for the insights it provides into young children's reading and writing development. The chapter then presents factors associated with learning to read successfully, including: (1) family literacy practices such as storybook reading and environmental print experiences; and (2) classroom-based literacy practices related to the social and motivational context and opportunities for challenge, choice, and collaboration, and storybook or shared reading. The chapter provides an overview of what current theory and research suggest young children need to know to develop into successful readers, including phonological awareness, alphabetic understanding, phonics instruction, and reading as a meaning-getting process. The chapter concludes with a review of several studies focusing on characteristics of effective literacy instruction. Contains approximately 140 references. (KB)