To determine the effect of books in Spanish and free reading time on reading abilities and attitudes of Hispanic students, 114 Hispanic children enrolled in grades 2 (Level I), 3 and 4 (Level II) in Tempe, Arizona, were placed in either experimental groups or control groups. Teachers in the experimental classes (E) were provided with books in Spanish selected for their attractive illustrations, simple texts, and potential interest to readers, and were instructed to provide at least 60 minutes a week of free reading time and to attempt to develop positive attitudes toward reading. Control group (C) teachers were instructed to teach reading as they normally did. Only the 49 E and 44 C subjects present for both pretests and posttests were retained in the analysis. The Level II experimental group excelled in all three Spanish reading tests (speed, comprehension, vocabulary). The Level I experimental group did not excel the control group in comprehension. The experimental groups had significantly better reading attitudes, but neither group showed significant change in academic self-concept. Results indicated that students who know Spanish and English and are successfully taught to read in either language will have little difficulty in reading successfully in the other language. (CM)