Identifying primary themes in literacy development and suggesting parallel practices to reinforce them, this book details how teachers and the families of students created a connection between home and school, developing respected partnerships in the teaching/learning process. The book features the voices of teachers, children, and parents; extended examples derived from some of the families; and a complete home-school journal. Chapters in the book are: (1) Respecting and Learning from Families; (2) Partners in Literacy: Home and School; (3) Creating Parallel Practices; (4) Adrian: The Moral of the Story; (5) Lakendra: "...and as always we were pleased"; (6) Cathy: A Book Buddy; (7) Family-Teacher Connections; (8) Family Child Connections; (9) Child-Teacher Connections; (10) Reader-Book Connections; (11) Partnerships, Not Programs; and (12) Questions and Answers and More Questions. Contains 46 references and a 111-item list of literature cited. A family reading journal and a discussion of research processes for the book are attached. (RS)